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 .
Divalproex Sodium vs Placebo for the Treatment of Irritability in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism spectrum disorders ( ASDs ) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social and language deficits and by repetitive behaviors and interests . Irritability/aggression is a significant comorbid symptom in this population , which greatly impacts burden of care . This study examined the effect of divalproex sodium for irritability/aggression in children and adolescents with ASD . This was a 12-week r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial . All efficacy measures were obtained by an independent evaluator blinded to r and omization condition and side effects . A total of 55 subjects gavetheir consent and 27 were r and omized in a 1 : 1 manner ( mean age 9.46±2.46 , mean nonverbal IQ 63.3±23.9 ) . Two subjects from the active group and one subject from the placebo group discontinued the study because of either a lack of efficacy or side effects ( increased irritability ) . Primary outcome measures were Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability subscale and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement , which focused on irritability . Overall , 62.5 % of divalproex subjects vs 9 % of placebo subjects were responders ( CGI-irritability OR : 16.7 , Fisher 's exact p=0.008 ) . A statistically significant improvement was also noted on the ABC-Irritability subscale ( p=0.048 ) . There was a trend for responders to have higher valproate blood levels compared with nonresponders . This study suggests the efficacy of divalproex for the treatment of irritability in children and adolescents with ASD . Larger sample follow-up studies are warranted
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 .