[Info] Overtreatment in Children with Epilepsy

[RobinN]

Children with epilepsy are at risk for overtreatment, defined as the use of an excessive number or amount of antiepiletic drugs (AEDs). While the extent of overtreatment of epilepsy in children is not known, there is increasing awareness that overtreatment with AEDs contributes to the morbidity associated with childhood epilepsy. Reasons for overtreatment include using AEDs in a child with seizures who does not require therapy, choosing an inappropriate AED for the seizure type or syndrome; treating non-epileptic behaviors as seizures, use of polytherapy when monotherapy would suffice, and inadequate therapeutic options. Despite the introduction of eight new AEDs in the United States during the last decade, many children continue to be treated with the older generation sedative AEDs. Numerous investigators have now demonstrated that sedative AEDs can be safely removed from the drug regimen of children with epilepsy with resultant improvement in behavior, alertness, and improved seizure control. However, the biggest obstacle to overtreatment is the lack of effective therapies for many of the childhood epileptic syndromes. Until there are more effective therapies developed it is highly likely that children will continue to be over-medicated on ineffective and detrimental AEDs.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920121102001833

 

[Rae1889]

I see this a lot on the groups I have on facebook. One little boy is on 7 drugs! I asked his mum and he hasn't been on all seven separate, thye just kep adding and upping when he has a seizure

 

[Dutch mom]

I can enter Science Direct by my work's licence to get the full text article, someone interested? If so, send your e-mail adress by PM.

 

[kostareyna]

I see this a lot on the groups I have on facebook. One little boy is on 7 drugs! I asked his mum and he hasn't been on all seven separate, thye just kep adding and upping when he has a seizure

That's because of the stupid drug companies.You need to understand That all they care about is that people will stay sick for the rest of their lifes and buy drugs.I noticed its like that especially in the U.S,In israel i wasn't on drugs for 2 years until the doctor saw i have e patterns on my eeg than when i started to take meds i was on below normal level of keppra and when i wanted to raise it he said why would you if your under contorl.In the u.s from forums i read alot of people getting ramped up till the maximum dosege by their doctors without even considering the saverity of the seizures.

Is it like that in canada as well??

 

[epileric]

Is it like that in canada as well??

Not at all to the same degree as in the US.