Antiepileptic drugs in children in developing countries: Research and treatment guideline needs
Address correspondence to Tarun Dua, Department of Mental Health, and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. Email: [email protected]
Summary
Epilepsy is the most common neurologic disorder in childhood. Effective interventions are available for treatment; however, the treatment gap in children is more than 80% in many developing countries. An important reason for this huge treatment gap is limited access to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). This article discusses the reasons for such a treatment gap, and possible ways forward in improving care of children with epilepsy worldwide.
