Journal of paediatrics and child health
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J Paediatr Child Health · Jul 2005
Drug treatment of neonatal seizures by neonatologists and paediatric neurologists.
To survey anti-epileptic drug (AED) treatment of early-onset neonatal seizures by neonatologists and paediatric neurologists. ⋯ Australian and New Zealand neonatologists and paediatric neurologists generally use phenobarbitone to treat neonatal seizures presumed to be owing to hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, though they do not always use appropriate doses. Neonatologists use phenobarbitone, phenytoin or a benzodiazepine for second and third episodes of seizures, whereas neurologists tend not to use benzodiazepines. Neonatologists use larger total doses of phenobarbitone than neurologists in pursuit of seizure control. Neonatologists discontinue AED earlier than neurologists.