Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Epilepsy Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics;Autism;Pediatrics / Children's Health Article Date: 01 Feb 2013 - 0:00 PST
Current ratings for: Epilepsy Drug Linked To Increased Risk Of Autism
The finding came from new research published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
The research involved kids born to 528 pregnant women in England between 2000 and 2004. Fifty percent (243) of the moms had epilepsy, only 34 of those women did not take antiepileptic drugs while pregnant.
Carbamazepine was taken by 59 of the women, valproate was taken by another 59 women, lamotrigine was taken by 36, forty-one of the females took a combination, and 15 took other medications.
The researchers evaluated the physical and intellectual development of the kids at 12 months, three years, and 6 years of age.
The mothers also provided the scientists with information on whether they ever had to seek professional advice concerning their child's development, behavior, health, or educational progress.
There were 415 kids who had complete data on all 3 evaluations. A neurodevelopmental disorder was diagnosed in 19 kids by the time they were 6 years old, three of those children were affected by a physical abnormality.
Twelve of these kids had a form of autism, one child also had ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Three had ADHD alone and another four had dyspraxia - a condition that causes poor physical coordination and uncontrolled clumsiness.
The experts discovered that neurodevelopmental issues were notably more prevalent among those kids whose mothers had epilepsy - 7.46% vs. 1.87% of those whose mothers did not struggle with the condition.
Excerpt from:
Epilepsy Drug Linked To Increased Risk Of Autism