Medical Treatment

Treatment of children with seizures is different than treatment for adults. Unless a specific cause is found, most children with first-time seizures will not be placed on medications.

• Important reasons for not starting medications
  
  
  • During the first visit, many doctors cannot be sure if the event was a seizure or something else.
    
    
  • Many seizure medications have side effects including damage to your child's liver or teeth.
    
    
  • Many children will have only one, or very few, seizures.
  
  
• If medications are started
  
  
  • The doctor will follow the drug levels, which require frequent blood tests, and will watch closely for side effects. Often, it takes weeks to months to adjust the medications, and sometimes more than one medicine is needed.
    
    
  • If your child has status epilepticus, he or she will be treated very aggressively with antiseizure medications, admitted to the intensive care unit, and possibly be placed on a breathing machine.