Question
My child is over 1 year old and has had epilepsy for about a month. The doctor has prescribed Western medicine, and after taking these medicines, the epilepsy has improved, but sometimes the child keeps vomiting. Can the child take Western medicine long-term?
Answer
Epilepsy has over 30 types, and the treatment and prognosis for different types can vary. There is no medication that can treat all types of epilepsy. After being diagnosed with epilepsy, it is essential to visit a specialized epilepsy doctor at a regular hospital. The doctor needs to inquire about the medical history in detail and perform necessary examinations, such as electroencephalograms, cranial CT scans, and magnetic resonance imaging, to make an accurate diagnosis before providing effective treatment. The most commonly used medications include traditional antiepileptic drugs like carbamazepine and sodium valproate, as well as new antiepileptic drugs such as lamotrigine, topiramate, and oxcarbazepine. These antiepileptic drugs are safer and have fewer side effects than older drugs like phenytoin and phenobarbital, making them a more ideal choice for epilepsy patients.