LAMICTAL Logo
LAMICTAL ODT Logo
Click to a Friend  Site Map  For Healthcare Professionals
Select Text Size:    A   A    A

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Cases of life-threatening serious rashes, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and/or rash-related death, have been caused by LAMICTAL. (See Boxed Warning). CONTINUED BELOW
Prescribing Information , including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

Home
About LAMICTAL
A medicine to treat certain types of seizures
Risks and
Side Effects
About Seizure
Disorders
Family
and Friends
How You Can Help
How to Help Yourself
If Your Child Has Seizures
Resources
and Tools
Save up to $40 on your prescriptions for LAMICTAL ODT

If Your Child Has Seizures

Caring for a child with a seizure disorder takes time, patience, and understanding. When a child is diagnosed with epilepsy, it may be a painful shock. You may be afraid that the child will not be able to live a normal life.

This is far from the truth. People with most types of epilepsy, including children, can be helped by antiseizure medicines or other treatments, and some may go months or years between seizures. Most people with epilepsy can lead outwardly normal lives.


Talking with your child's doctor

It may be helpful to track your child's seizure patterns using the Events Calendar. Bring the calendar with you when you talk with the doctor.

The doctor is the best source of information about what to do for a child with a seizure disorder. Here are some questions you may want to ask:
  • Should the paramedics or an ambulance be called every time my child has a seizure?
  • What constitutes an emergency in my child's case? If it is an emergency, whom should I call?
  • How long should I wait before calling an ambulance if the seizure goes on for longer than usual?
  • Is there any at-home therapy that I (or a family member or caregiver) can use to stop prolonged or clusters of seizures in my child?
  • Are there any precautions I should take at home (such as moving furniture, blocking stairwells, not having the child bathe alone)?
If your child is having side effects from his or her current seizure medication(s), or if seizures are not well controlled, be sure to notify the doctor right away. Here are some questions to ask about your child's medication:
  • Should the dose of my child's antiseizure medicine be increased?
  • Would my child do better on a higher dose of just one medicine?
  • Would adding another medicine control seizures more effectively?
  • Are there other medicine(s) that can be tried?
  • Should a blood level test be done to see if the right amount of medicine is getting into the bloodstream?
  • Would more extensive testing help?
  • Is my child a candidate for vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy or epilepsy surgery?
When your child's seizures are well controlled for a long time, you might want to ask the doctor:
  • Is it possible to slowly reduce or stop the antiseizure medication(s)?
  • What are the risks and benefits of reducing medicine in children?

Keep others informed

Be sure to share potentially life-saving information on controlling your child's seizures with all those who care for the child—including family members and caregivers, teachers, babysitters, etc. Remind them when to call the doctor, and teach them the necessary precautions to take in the event of a seizure.