Objective: The overall objective was to describe the QOL in Omani children in Sultan Qaboos University hospital living with epilepsy.

Methods: One hundred and one Omani children, with an age range from 5-18 years, were enrolled in the study over a three-month period using criteria established by the ILAE classification of epilepsy. Descriptive epidemiology was used to characterise QOL in these children. QOL was measured using the PedsQL_ (4.0) questionnaire, a 23-item child and parent report questionnaire. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean QOL scores. Agreement between the QOL reports of children and parents was evaluated using Spearman’s rho. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to determine differences in subscale ratings.

Results: Factors affecting QOL included family status, family income level, social security coverage, type of treatment, seizure frequency, age of onset and seizure-free duration in years. Consistency between the self-reports of children and parent proxy-reports on the PedsQL™ were moderate to low. Children between 5 and 7 years and females were most affected, as reflected by overall QOL subscale.

Conclusion: Omani children with epilepsy have poor QOL. Their psychosocial function is severely affected. QOL should be an important outcome measure in managing children with epilepsy, rather than only seizure control.