Medications

An individuals sensitivity to the effects of antiseizure medications varies. Although some antiseizure medications may produce unwanted side-effects affecting thinking and learning, they won’t affect all children in this way.

As a child’s brain is still developing, they are more susceptible, but fortunately once the side effects are recognised, they can often be managed and are usually reversed with medication changes.

The risks and benefits of antiseizure medication therapy should be weighed against the risk of poorly controlled seizures. Factors to think about are the particular epilepsy syndrome, seizure type, severity and frequency of seizures.

For specific information about your child, speak to your child’s neurologist.

Click on the video to hear Dr Stephen Malone, Paediatric Neurologist and Epileptologist, talk about weighing up the benefits verses side effects and other considerations when choosing an antiepileptic medication.

Benefits versus side effects