Status Epilepticus Associated With the Administration of Long-Acting Methylphenidate in a 7-Year-Old Girl
Abstract
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be at elevated risk for seizures.1 Stimulant therapy, commonly used to treat ADHD, may lower seizure threshold.2 However, few studies address whether psychostimulants contribute to de novo seizures or exacerbate seizure disorders. Relevant safety data are limited because patients with epilepsy are typically excluded from clinical trials.3 Evidence suggests that methylphenidate (MPH) administration might increase or decrease seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy.2 We present the case of a child with severe ADHD and unidentified cortical malformation who developed status epilepticus while treated with osmotic release oral system (OROS) MPH and immediate release (IR) MPH.
Her parents documented permission to allow this report.