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 18-month trial of lithium versus divalproex maintenance treatment in pediatric bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE To determine whether divalproex sodium ( DVPX ) was superior to lithium carbonate ( Li+ ) in the maintenance monotherapy treatment of youths diagnosed with bipolar disorder who had been previously stabilized on combination Li+ and DVPX ( Li+/DVPX ) pharmacotherapy . METHOD Youths ages 5 - 17 years with bipolar I or II disorder were initially treated with Li /DVPX . Patients meeting remission criteria for four consecutive weeks were then r and omized in a double-blind fashion to treatment with either Li+ or DVPX for up to 76 weeks . Study participation ended if the subject required additional clinical intervention or if the subject did not adhere to study procedures . RESULTS Patients were recruited between July 1998 and May 2002 . One hundred thirty-nine youths with a mean ( SD ) age of 10.8 ( 3.5 ) years were initially treated with Li+/DVPX for a mean ( SD ) duration of 10.7 ( 5.4 ) weeks . Sixty youths were then r and omized to receive monotherapy with Li+ ( n = 30 ) or DVPX ( n = 30 ) . The Li+ and DVPX treatment groups did not differ in survival time until emerging symptoms of relapse ( p = .55 ) or survival time until discontinuation for any reason ( p = .72 ) . CONCLUSIONS DVPX was not found to be superior to Li+ as maintenance treatment in youths who stabilized on combination Li+/DVPX pharmacotherapy
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 .