ABSTRACT

New antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been developed in the last two decades with the aim of improving the benefit-risk balance of AED therapy. Despite the introduction of the newer AEDs, childhood epilepsy continues to be intractable in more than 25% of patients diagnosed with epilepsy. The new AEDs can be subdivided into new second- and third-generation AEDs. The new-AEDs are of interest, not due to their efficacy, but rather owing to better tolerance, favorable pharmacokinetic profile; so, the introduction of AEDs provides more options for treatment of children with epilepsy. However, there are very limited data available to make definitive conclusions as to the likely role of these AEDs in the management of refractory epilepsy especially in children. In this review, the present status of new AED in childhood epilepsy syndromes is overwieved.