More than half of children who are diagnosed with epilepsy ultimately outgrow the condition.
They should be monitored closely by a neurologist, who can decide if it’s time to taper off anti-seizure medication.
Most children respond well to this, but it’s a decision that must be made with a doctor’s input.
Patients with epilepsy need to be vigilant and receive care from a doctor they trust. But will they need treatment forever?
Neurologist Jesus Martinez, MD, said patients often ask if they will outgrow their epilepsy. He said it is possible for the condition to go away, especially for children.
“Some forms of epilepsy can go away on their own,” Dr. Martinez said. “Seizures that start at age 5-8 can go away around age 12-14, although there are always exceptions to the rule.”
By definition, epilepsy means a patient has had more than one seizure. Many children experience a seizure for another reason and never have another. Even if a child is diagnosed with epilepsy, it doesn’t mean they’ll be impacted for life. The majority of children outgrow the condition.
Dr. Martinez said this is especially true for children who have “absence seizures.”
These seizures begin in both sides of the brain. Patients are unaware of what is happening around them for a short time, but then recover quickly.
A neurologist can help decide if a child with epilepsy should taper off anti-seizure medication. Usually, this happens when the child has been seizure-free for one or two years.
No matter what, any child who is diagnosed with epilepsy should regularly see a neurologist, Dr. Martinez said. The doctor typically prescribes an anti-seizure medication. Most children respond well, and live otherwise normal, healthy lives.
Eventually, the neurologist can help the child taper off the medicine. This usually happens when the child has been seizure-free for a year or two.
Neurologists consider several factors:
- The patient’s overall development and neurological function
- Whether their EEG appears normal
- How well their seizures are controlled with medicine
- The cause of the seizures
The doctor will also consider what’s happening in the patient’s life. Patients may want to time stopping medication based on school, sports or work commitments, for example.
In most cases, Dr. Martinez said, children who stop medication won’t have another seizure. If they do, the seizures are usually well-controlled by resuming medication.
The outlook is different for adults, however. Dr. Martinez noted, “When epilepsy starts during adulthood, it’s unlikely it will go away.”
Still, some adult epileptics experience seizures only rarely, he said. He has treated patients who have a couple seizures and then remain seizure-free for years.
If a child has a seizure after tapering off medication, they can resume medication and then try tapering again later.
That’s when an adult might ask him about stopping medication, Dr. Martinez said. “No matter what, if you’ve had two unprovoked seizures and are diagnosed with epilepsy, the general rule is you should be taking seizure preventing medication. But if an adult patient truly isn’t having seizures for years and years, is the medicine doing them more harm than good?”
Common side effects of anti-seizure medication include drowsiness, irritability and nausea. Some patients experience changes in emotions, behavior and memory.
Dr. Martinez said adults whose epilepsy is well controlled should always talk to their doctor about their treatment options. Again, the doctor will consider a variety of medical factors and the impact stopping medication might have on the patient’s life.
“That’s a conversation to have between doctor and patient,” Dr. Martinez said. “There are many things that need to be considered.”
Dr. Martinez helps adult patients navigate seizure disorders and other neurologic conditions. He has special expertise in the field of epilepsy, having earned a fellowship in experimental/clinical epilepsy and neurophysiology at University of Virginia.