Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a form of generalized epilepsy syndrome. Clinically these seizures are manifest with a sudden, brief (3-15 second) loss of awareness followed by a quick recovery to baseline. Keppra (levetiracetam) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat partial seizures in adults. It is currently being studied in children with partial seizures. Absence seizures can be difficult to detect clinically, therefore the response to therapy will be determined both by clinical observation and by 24 hour EEG recordings. The researchers hope that with this information they will learn how well it works for the treatment of childhood absence epilepsy and at what dose. This is an open-label, dose-ranging pilot study of levetiracetam in subjects with newly diagnosed childhood absence epilepsy. Approximately 20 patients will be needed to study effectiveness and dose requirements. Subjects must not be on any antiepileptic medication at the time of entry into the study. Male and female subjects from the ages of 4 to 10 years of age may participate.
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The primary efficacy variable will be change in seizure frequency.