In several small , single-site RCTs , valproate and sulthiame were better than placebo for the management of recurrent aggression .
Conclusions : Currently available RCTs do not support the efficacy of anticonvulsants as mood stabilizers in children .
There is some preliminary evidence from small RCTs of the efficacy of some anticonvulsants in the control of aggression and behavioral dyscontrol in conduct disorder , autism , and intellectual disability
Aim : Anticonvulsant medications are frequently used in clinical practice to treat psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents , but the evidence for their efficacy is uncertain .
We conducted a systematic review of published r and omized controlled trials ( RCT ) that assessed the psychiatric benefit of anticonvulsants  in patients under 18 years of age .
Double-blind randomized trial of risperidone versus divalproex in pediatric bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE To determine the relative effects of risperidone and divalproex in pediatric mania . METHODS This is a double-blind , r and omized , outpatient clinical trial with 66 children and adolescents ( mean age= 10.9 ± 3.3 years ; age range= 8 - 18 years ) with mania who were r and omly assigned to either risperidone ( 0.5 - 2 mg/day , n= 33 ) or divalproex ( 60 - 120 μg/mL , n= 33 ) for a six-week period . Measures included the Young Mania Rating Scale ( YMRS ) and Child Depression Rating Scale-Revised ( CDRS-R ) . RESULTS Mixed-effects regression models , with interaction between time and the active drug as predictors , found that the risperidone group had more rapid improvement than the divalproex group ( p < 0.05 ) , although final scores did not differ significantly between groups . Mixed models using only those subjects who completed the six-week study found similar results . The response rate on YMRS was 78.1 % for risperidone and 45.5 % for divalproex ( p < 0.01 ) . The remission rate for risperidone was 62.5 % , compared with 33.3 % for divalproex ( p < 0.05 ) . Improvement on the CDRS-R was significantly higher for the risperidone group relative to the divalproex group ( p < 0.05 ) . There were no significant differences between groups in safety , but subject retention was significantly higher at study endpoint in the risperidone group ( p < 0.01 ) . Dropout rate was 24 % in the risperidone group and 48 % in the divalproex group , with increased irritability being the most common reason for dropout in the latter . There was no significant weight gain in either group . CONCLUSION Results suggest that risperidone was associated with more rapid improvement and greater reduction in manic symptoms compared to divalproex . Although the results suggest that both drugs are safe , risperidone 's lower attrition rate and lower rate of adverse events may suggest better toleration . Clinical trials with larger sample s are required to confirm these preliminary findings
In several small , single-site RCTs , valproate and sulthiame were better than placebo for the management of recurrent aggression .
Conclusions : Currently available RCTs do not support the efficacy of anticonvulsants as mood stabilizers in children .
There is some preliminary evidence from small RCTs of the efficacy of some anticonvulsants in the control of aggression and behavioral dyscontrol in conduct disorder , autism , and intellectual disability
Aim : Anticonvulsant medications are frequently used in clinical practice to treat psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents , but the evidence for their efficacy is uncertain .
We conducted a systematic review of published r and omized controlled trials ( RCT ) that assessed the psychiatric benefit of anticonvulsants  in patients under 18 years of age .