Assessment of Side Effects of Most Commonly used Antiepileptic Drugs in Pediatrics

Abstract

pilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder worldwide. It affects all age groups and crosses all geographic boundaries; although this distressing condition remits in some people, many will have epilepsy throughout their lives, About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly 90% of epilepsy occurs in developing countries mainly due to poor medical services. In Egypt, the prevalence was 6.98 / 1000; it became clearer that people with epilepsy are socially discriminated against on the ground of wide-spread lack of knowledge, negative public attitudes, and misconceptions about the disease. The social problems met by students with epilepsy as a result of negative attitudes and beliefs are enormous and the attitude and knowledge of teachers on adulthood epilepsy where that is likely to influence the educational performance of students with the disease. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have both negative and positive effects on cognition and behavior. AEDs are able to improve cognition and behavior, which has been attributed to reduction of seizure activity, and modulating effect on neurotransmitters and their psychotrophic effect. AEDs reduce neuronal irritability and increase postsynaptic inhibition or alter synchronization of neural networks to decrease excessive neuronal excitability associated with seizure development and secondary spread of epileptic activity to the surrounding normal