Monotherapy in children and infants
Citation Manager Formats
Make Comment
See Comments

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
An expanding array of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is available to treat childhood epilepsy, offering the potential for improved seizure control and quality of life in this important patient population but also providing challenges in the selection of the best regimen for the individual patient. In addition to correct diagnosis of seizure type and general AED efficacy profile, other important treatment considerations in pediatric patients include age-specific organ toxicity, potential cognitive and behavioral or psychiatric effects of AEDs, compliance, and drug-drug interactions, since children commonly receive more medications than nonelderly adults. Drug dosing may be more difficult in pediatric than in adult epilepsy patients, and doses in children often require adjustment as the patient matures. Because many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of newer AEDs have not included childhood epilepsy, physicians often have incomplete data on which to base treatment decisions. Therefore, despite the wider array of potential therapies, it is often unclear how to realize the potential they offer. Recently published guidelines from a number of organizations have provided strategies for the use of new AEDs in the treatment of childhood epilepsy. Additional RCTs of monotherapy options for childhood epilepsy are greatly needed. The ketogenic diet provides an alternative to pharmacologic control of seizures in some pediatric patients.
Footnotes
-
This supplement was supported by an educational grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
Disclosure: Dr. Wilfong has received honoraria from the sponsor during the course of this study and grant support from the sponsor for research/activities not reported in this article.
Neurology® supplements are not peer-reviewed. Information contained in Neurology® supplements represents the opinions of the authors. These opinions are not endorsed by nor do they reflect the views of the American Academy of Neurology, Editor-in-Chief, or Associate Editors of Neurology®.
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
For assistance, please contact:
AAN Members (800) 879-1960 or (612) 928-6000 (International)
Non-AAN Member subscribers (800) 638-3030 or (301) 223-2300 option 3, select 1 (international)
Sign Up
Information on how to subscribe to Neurology and Neurology: Clinical Practice can be found here
Purchase
Individual access to articles is available through the Add to Cart option on the article page. Access for 1 day (from the computer you are currently using) is US$ 39.00. Pay-per-view content is for the use of the payee only, and content may not be further distributed by print or electronic means. The payee may view, download, and/or print the article for his/her personal, scholarly, research, and educational use. Distributing copies (electronic or otherwise) of the article is not allowed.
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Dr. Nicole Sur and Dr. Mausaminben Hathidara
► Watch
Related Articles
- No related articles found.
Alert Me
Recommended articles
-
Articles
Current treatments of epilepsySiddhartha Nadkarni, Josiane LaJoie, Orrin Devinsky et al.Neurology, June 27, 2005 -
Consensus Conference on Current Clinical Practice: Articles
Consensus statementsMedical management of epilepsy et al.Neurology, November 01, 1998 -
Special Article
Practice guideline update summary: Efficacy and tolerability of the new antiepileptic drugs I: Treatment of new-onset epilepsyReport of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy SocietyAndres M. Kanner, Eric Ashman, David Gloss et al.Neurology, June 13, 2018 -
Articles
Understanding co-morbidities affecting children with epilepsyJohn M. Pellock et al.Neurology, March 08, 2004