What Are the Chances of Outgrowing Epilepsy?

Outgrowing epilepsy

About two-thirds of children with epilepsy outgrow the condition by their teens or 20s. If your child has been seizure-free for several years with medication, they may be able to stop taking it. However, it's extremely important to work with your child's epilepsy doctor when deciding whether to discontinue a medication.

Among patients who've been seizure-free for two years, studies show that about 30 to 40% will relapse when they stop taking medication.

To assess the likelihood that your child will outgrow having seizures, please consult your child's epilepsy specialist.

Seizure control through medication

Even if your child doesn't outgrow epilepsy and needs to keep taking anti-seizure medication, the outlook is good. Seizures in children often respond well to these drugs, and many children who have epilepsy develop normally and lead fulfilling lives.

However, finding the right anti-seizure medication for an individual child often takes trial and error. Some kids need to take a combination of two or three medications to control their seizures. Your child's epilepsy doctor will work to find the treatment approach that provides effective seizure control with as few side effects as possible.

In cases where medications don't control seizures, it's appropriate to seek care at a specialized epilepsy center that offers other treatment options. These may include a special epilepsy diet, implanted devices that can stop seizures, and epilepsy surgery.