Infantile Masturbation-Treated with Anti-Epileptic Drugs: Experience of a Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital in Bangladesh

Aim: This study was aimed to find out the mismanagement of infantile masturbation and the outcome of the cases who were treated with anti-epileptic drugs.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at outpatient department of Rehabilitation and Neurology unit of Dr. M R Khan Shishu Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Dhaka Bangladesh, between 2013-2022.

Methods: Data were collected from records which included socio-demographic data and clinical features of masturbation in children. Data related to treatment was also collected and their outcome was observed.

Results: Among 50 patients, majority (74%) had age of onset between 12-36 months of age. Mean age was 43±26 months, the range was between 4 months to 84 months. Female were predominant (60%). Most of the children came from urban area (86%) and belong to nuclear family (78%). They presented with stereotype movement of variable duration and there was no alteration of consciousness. Prone positioning was more frequent than prone to supine position (78% Vs 18%). There was no laboratory and EEG abnormalities among the cases. Thirty two percent patients were treated with anti-epileptic drugs from outside and among them 2 (12%) was given sodium valproate and rest 14 (88%) were treated with phenobarbitone. But there was no clinical improvement in these cases.

Conclusion: Use of anti-epileptic drugs was not associated with any clinical improvement in children with infantile masturbation.