Oxcarbazepine For Preventing Seizures 1
Oxcarbazepine For Preventing Seizures 1
Oxcarbazepine For Preventing Seizures 1
This leaflet is for parents and carers about how to use this Continue to give the medicine in the way that you have been
medicine in children. Our information sometimes differs from told to. Oxcarbazepine may not stop your child’s seizures
that provided by the manufacturers, because their information completely. If you are worried about whether it is helping,
is usually aimed at adults. Please read this leaflet carefully. contact your doctor.
Keep it somewhere safe so that you can read it again.
What if my child is sick (vomits)?
Do not stop giving oxcarbazepine suddenly, as your • If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a
child may have more seizures. dose of oxcarbazepine, give them the same dose again.
• If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having
Name of drug a dose of oxcarbazepine you do not need to give them
Oxcarbazepine another dose. Wait until the next normal dose.
Brand name: Trileptal
What if I forget to give it?
Why is it important to take this medicine? If you remember up to 4 hours after you should have given
a dose, give your child the missed dose. For example, if you
It is important that your child takes oxcarbazepine regularly
usually give a dose at about 7 am, you can give the missed
so that they have fewer seizures.
dose at any time up to 11 am. If you remember after that time,
What is oxcarbazepine available as? do not give the missed dose. Just give the next dose as usual.
• Tablets: 150 mg, 300 mg, 600 mg Never give a double dose of oxcarbazepine.
• Liquid medicine: 300 mg in 5 mL
What if I give too much?
When should I give oxcarbazepine? You are unlikely to do harm if you give an extra dose of
• Oxcarbazepine is usually given twice each day, once oxcarbazepine by mistake, but side-effects may increase.
in the morning and once in the evening. Ideally, these If you are concerned that you may have given too much,
times are 10–12 hours apart, for example some time contact your doctor or local NHS services (details at end of
between 7 and 8 am, and between 7 and 8 pm. leaflet). Have the medicine or packaging with you if you
Give the medicine at about the same time(s) each day so that telephone for advice.
this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help
you to remember. Are there any possible side-eff ects?
We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes
How much should I give? they have other effects that we don’t want (side-effects).
Your doctor will work out the amount of oxcarbazepine (the
dose) that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on Side-eff ects you must do something about
the medicine label. If your child is short of breath or is wheezing, or their
Your doctor will start your child on a low dose, then gradually 999 face, lips or tongue start to swell, or they develop a rash,
increase it over a few days or weeks to help your child get they may be allergic to oxcarbazepine. Take your child
used to the medicine. If you are not sure how much to give, to hospital or call an ambulance straight away.
check with your doctor or pharmacist. If your child has a rash with a sore throat and is also
999 generally unwell, and has a fever (temperature above
It is important that you follow your doctor’s
38°C) or unusual bruises or bleeding, or if they seem
instructions about how much to give.
very confused and their muscles start to twitch, contact
How should I give it? your doctor or take them to hospital straight away, as
this may indicate a more serious reaction.
Tablets should be swallowed with a glass of
water, milk or juice. Your child should not chew Other side-effects you need to know about
the tablets. Oxcarbazepine usually causes only mild side-effects,
Liquid medicine: Shake the bottle well and which should get better as your child’s body gets used to
measure out the right amount using an oral the medicine. If they are still a problem after 2 weeks, or
syringe or a medicine spoon. You can get these you are worried, contact your doctor, but continue to give
from your pharmacist. Do not use a kitchen oxcarbazepine.
• Your child may be feel sick (nausea) or be sick (vomit) or
5.0 ml
www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
Version 1.2, May 2012 (minor update November 2012). © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild 2011, all rights reserved. Reviewed by: May 2015.
The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through
our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is
important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply
to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and
editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.