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 .
Carbamazepine in aggressive children with conduct disorder: a double-blind and placebo-controlled study.
OBJECTIVE To assess critically the short-term efficacy and safety of carbamazepine in the reduction of aggressiveness in children with diagnosed conduct disorder . METHOD Subjects were children aged 5 to 12 years who were hospitalized for treatment-resistant aggressiveness and explosiveness and who had diagnosed conduct disorder . The study was double-blind and placebo-controlled , using a parallel-groups design . Following a 2-week placebo baseline period , children who met the aggression criteria were r and omly assigned to treatments for 6 weeks ; the study ended with a 1-week posttreatment placebo period . Multiple raters rated the children independently , using multiple rating scales under four conditions . The main outcome measures included the Overt Aggression Scale , the Global Clinical Judgments ( Consensus ) Scale , and the Children 's Psychiatric Rating Scale . RESULTS Twenty-two children , aged 5.33 to 11.7 years , completed the study .  Carbamazepine was not superior to placebo at optimal daily doses ranging from 400 to 800 mg , mean 683 mg , at serum levels of 4.98 to 9.1 micrograms/mL. Untoward effects associated with administration of carbamazepine were common . CONCLUSIONS In this modest sample of children , the superiority of carbamazepine over placebo in reducing aggressive behavior was not demonstrated
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 .