Childhood seizures. Individualized treatment based on type.

Seizures in children can have greatly differing prognosis and treatment, depending on the type of seizure, age at onset, and family and medical history. Treatment can vary from none at all (eg, in the child with a single febrile seizure) to the use of more than one drug and the ketogenic diet (eg, in poorly controlled atypical absence, atonic, and some myoclonic disorders). When drug therapy is required, an appropriate agent is started and the dosage increased as needed to control seizures. If seizures persist or toxicity occurs, another drug should be substituted. When the patient has been seizure-free for a year, the drug can be slowly decreased and eventually discontinued. Any recurrence is most likely to occur within the first year after anticonvulsive medication is stopped.