A new use for Trileptal, an antiepileptic drug, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Trileptal can now be used as monotherapy, or alone, in the treatment of partial seizures in children four years of age and older.

Epilepsy, often referred to as a seizure disorder, is a neurological condition that is associated with recurrent electrical discharges in the brain that disrupt the functioning of the nervous system. The intermittent bursts of electrical energy that result may cause seizures, which can affect consciousness, bodily movements or sensations. The most common type of seizures are partial seizures, affecting up to 60% of people with a seizure disorder, and are very difficult to control.

Scientific research demonstrates that children with epilepsy suffer with impaired language skills and deficits in visual-spatial function, problem solving and adaptive behaviors.

Trileptal monotherapy has a proven track record for treating partial seizures in adults. Now it is available to treat children aged four and older.