OVERVIEW Print Section Listen The choice of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) entails a number of considerations detailed later. All these considerations cannot be fully or adequately addressed by controlled studies alone,…

OVERVIEW Print Section Listen Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are a treatment modality for the suppression of seizures. Medical therapy is usually the first option once it is established that seizures should…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Almost half of the patients who initially present with epilepsy will become seizure free on their first antiepileptic drug (AED). The prognosis for the remaining half…

OVERVIEW Print Section Listen Epilepsy is often perceived as a frightening and stigmatizing disorder and its impact can be enormous. Some children outgrow their seizures, others achieve good seizure control,…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The term catastrophic epilepsy is applied to children with epilepsy who present with some of the following characteristics: Urgent need for treatments. Onset in early life….

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”1 In…

OVERVIEW Print Section Listen The aim of epilepsy treatment is cessation of seizures without side effects. In the course of treating the child, the family should be informed, based on…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Children with autism have higher rates of epilepsy than in the general population and children with epilepsy are at high risk of developing autism.1,2 When epilepsy…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Following the diagnosis of epilepsy and making the decision to start a treatment, as discussed in the prior chapter, the clinician must choose the most appropriate…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Children with epilepsy are at an increased risk for behavioral or psychiatric comorbidities.1,2 Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other behavioral difficulties (e.g., impulsivity, inattention) may be…