Can Antihistamines Trigger Seizures in Young Kids?
First-generation antihistamines are linked to a 22% higher risk for seizures in children, new research shows. The risk appears to be most pronounced in children aged 6-24 months. Researchers in Korea assessed the risk for seizures associated with prescriptions of first-generation antihistamines. They analyzed data from 11,729 children who had a seizure event (an emergency department visit with a diagnosis of epilepsy, status epilepticus, or convulsion) and had previously received a prescription for a first-generation antihistamine, including chlorpheniramine maleate, mequitazine, oxatomide, piprinhydrinate, or hydroxyzine hydrochloride. Prescriptions during the 15 days before a seizure were considered to have been received during a hazard period, whereas earlier prescriptions were considered to have been received during a control period.