Topamax for children?

After all the discussion here about the side effects of Topamax, it was interesting to read the research about Topamax for children that was published last month.

In reality, there hasn’t been a lot of testing when it comes to topiramate for children.  However, the researchers in Italy pulled the research together that has been done in the past, and made some interesting observations.

Has Topamax helped children with migraine?  Yes, we have seen a reduction in migraine attacks in children taking Topamax.

Were there side effects?  Yes, but which ones and how bad they were varied a LOT from child to child.  The most common problems were weight loss, anorexia, abdominal pain, tiredness, trouble concentrating, and itchy or tingling skin (paraesthesia).  Sometimes the side effects were only temporary.

The researchers made a good point regarding side effects.  They said,"Since these adverse events, although often transitory, may be distressing for the child, we strongly recommend to assess the disability caused by the migraine episodes before deciding to initiate a prophylactic treatment."

In other words, be cautious, because these side effects may impact the life of a child far more than it would an adult.

Read more about topiramate in the prevention of pediatric migraine here.

It’s been noted before that decreased sweating, another possible side effect, may be particularly dangerous for children.  Children on Topamax need to be watched closely.

By popular demand, there’s now a more in depth article on Topamax side effects here.