Question
The child has been taking antiepileptic medications Debakine and Tegretol for two years, and although there have been no seizures, there has been no significant improvement in the electroencephalogram (EEG). The question is whether it’s possible to start gradually reducing the medication until it is completely stopped.
Answer
It is possible to gradually reduce the dosage but not to completely stop the medication. Epilepsy treatment should aim for monotherapy, starting with low doses. If a single drug is ineffective, consider adding or switching to another antiepileptic medication. If it is indeed believed that a particular drug is ineffective for the patient or has significant side effects, and a switch to another medication is necessary, this should be done gradually. For pediatric epilepsy, medication control is primarily used currently. For older children, gamma knife surgery can be considered as a treatment option, which has shown better results.