Evaluating the readability, understandability, quality, and popularity of online materials about epilepsy in children

Abstract Background Childhood epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide, significantly affecting cognitive, emotional, and social development. As caregivers often seek medical guidance online, the readability, understandability, and quality of internet-based patient education materials (IPEMs) are crucial for health literacy and decision-making. This study evaluates the readability, understandability, quality, and popularity of online pediatric epilepsy materials in relation to established health communication standards. Methods A Google search using the term ‘epilepsy in children’ (July 20, 2025) identified 84 eligible English-language websites. These were classified as (I) academic departments/societies, (II) clinics/hospitals, and (III) miscellaneous healthcare platforms. Readability was measured by seven validated indices and summarized as the Average Reading Level Consensus (ARLC), understandability by Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials (PEMAT-P), quality by Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and popularity via Similarweb. Results The mean ARLC was 11.13 ± 2.10, exceeding the recommended sixth-grade level, with no readability differences across website types (p = 0.167). PEMAT scores were high (median 82.3%) and varied by source (p = 0.022), favoring academic sites. Only 34.52% met high-quality standards (JAMA ≥ 3), with Group I superior (p = 0.002). Readability showed no significant correlation with understandability (r = − 0.151, p = 0.170) or quality (r = − 0.154, p = 0.161). Most websites had moderate popularity. Conclusions Although many pediatric epilepsy websites are understandable, most surpass recommended readability levels and lack key quality indicators. Healthcare professionals should guide families to reliable, accessible resources and promote user-centered digital health communication.