Introduction — This topic includes links to society and government-sponsored guidelines from selected countries and regions around the world. We will update these links periodically; newer versions of some guidelines may be available on each society's website. Some societies may require users to log in to access their guidelines.
The recommendations in the following guidelines may vary from those that appear in UpToDate topic reviews. Readers who are looking for UpToDate topic reviews should use the UpToDate search box to find the relevant content.
Links to related guidelines are provided separately. (See "Society guideline links: Seizures and epilepsy in adults".)
International
●International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE): Consensus recommendations on the timing of referral to evaluate for epilepsy surgery (2022)
●ILAE: Position paper on classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes with onset in childhood (2022)
●ILAE: Position statement on classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes with onset at a variable age (2022)
●ILAE: Position statement on classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes with onset in neonates and infants (2022)
●ILAE: Position statement on the definition of the idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndromes (2022)
●ILAE and International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN): A clinical practice guideline on the minimum standards for inpatient long-term video-electroencephalographic monitoring (2022)
●ILAE: Consensus report on recommendations for the use of structural magnetic resonance imaging in the care of patients with epilepsy (2019)
●ILAE: Report on the indications and expectations for neuropsychological assessment in epilepsy surgery in children and adults (2019)
●ILAE: Evidence-based recommendations for psychological treatments for adults and children with epilepsy (2018)
●Updated recommendations for optimal clinical management of children receiving dietary therapies for epilepsy (2018)
●ILAE: Position paper on the classification of the epilepsies (2017)
●Ketogenic diet guidelines for infants with refractory epilepsy (2016)
●ILAE: Summary of recommendations for the management of infantile seizures (2015)
●ILAE: International consensus clinical practice statements for the treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions associated with epilepsy (2011)
●ILAE: Guidelines for imaging infants and children with recent-onset epilepsy (2009)
Canada
●Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS): Position statement for emergency management of the paediatric patient with convulsive status epilepticus (2021)
●Choosing Wisely Canada: Don't routinely perform brain imaging after acute seizure in patients with established epilepsy (2019)
●Optimizing the diagnosis and management of Dravet syndrome – Recommendations from a North American consensus panel (2017)
●CPS: Position statement – Is the medical use of cannabis a therapeutic option for children? (2016)
United States
●American Academy of Neurology (AAN): Antiseizure medication withdrawal in seizure-free patients – Practice advisory, update (2021)
●American College of Radiology (ACR): ACR Appropriateness Criteria on seizures – child (2021)
●AAN and American Epilepsy Society (AES): Practice guideline summary – Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy incidence rates and risk factors (2017, reaffirmed 2020)
●AAN, Child Neurology Society (CNS), and AES: Practice parameter – Evaluating a first nonfebrile seizure in children (2000, reaffirmed 2020)
●AAN: Evidence-based guideline – Vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy, update (2013, reaffirmed 2019)
●AAN: Reassessment – Neuroimaging in the emergency patient presenting with seizure (an evidence-based review) (2007, reaffirmed 2019)
●AAN: Use of serum prolactin in diagnosing epileptic seizures (2005, reaffirmed 2019)
●AAN and AES: Practice advisory – The use of felbamate in the treatment of patients with intractable epilepsy (1999, reaffirmed 2019)
●AAN and CNS: Practice parameter – Diagnostic assessment of the child with status epilepticus (an evidence-based review) (2006, reaffirmed 2019)
●ACR: ACR Appropriateness Criteria on seizures and epilepsy (2019)
●AAN and AES: Practice guideline summary – Efficacy and tolerability of the new antiepileptic drugs I: Treatment of new-onset epilepsy, update (2018)
●AAN and AES: Practice guideline summary – Efficacy and tolerability of the new antiepileptic drugs II: Treatment-resistant epilepsy, update (2018)
●AAN and CNS: Evidence-based guideline – Medical treatment of infantile spasms, update (2012, reaffirmed 2018)
●AAN and CNS: Practice parameter – Treatment of the child with a first unprovoked seizure (2003, reaffirmed 2018)
●Choosing Wisely: Avoid routine testing for antiepileptic drug (AED) levels in people with epilepsy (2018)
●Choosing Wisely: Do not prescribe long-term treatment with antiepileptic drugs after withdrawal seizures (2018)
●Choosing Wisely: Do not routinely order electroencephalogram (EEG) as part of initial syncope work-up (2018)
●Choosing Wisely: Do not routinely perform brain imaging after acute seizure in patients with established epilepsy (2018)
●Choosing Wisely: Neuroimaging (CT, MRI) is not necessary in a child with simple febrile seizure (2013, updated 2018)
●National Association of School Nurses (NASN): New evidence-based clinical guideline on students with seizures and epilepsy (2018)
●Choosing Wisely: Don't routinely order an EEG on neurologically healthy children who have a simple febrile seizure (2017)
●Optimizing the diagnosis and management of Dravet syndrome – Recommendations from a North American consensus panel (2017)
●AES: Evidence-based guideline – Treatment of convulsive status epilepticus in children and adults (2016)
●Choosing Wisely: Don't use phenytoin or fosphenytoin to treat seizures caused by drug toxicity or drug withdrawal (2015)
●Neurocritical Care Society (NCS): Guidelines for the evaluation and management of status epilepticus (2012)
●American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Clinical practice guideline – Febrile seizures: Guideline for the neurodiagnostic evaluation of the child with a simple febrile seizure (2011)
●AAP: Febrile seizures – Clinical practice guideline for the long-term management of the child with simple febrile seizures (2008)
Europe
●European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS): European Handbook of Neurological Management, 2nd edition – Alcohol-related seizures (2010)
●EFNS: Pre-surgical evaluation for epilepsy surgery – European standards (2000)
United Kingdom
●National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): Guideline on epilepsies in children, young people and adults (2022)
●NICE: Clinical guideline on epilepsies – Diagnosis and management (2012, updated 2021)
●NICE: Interventional procedures guidance for MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy (2020)
●Children's Epilepsy Surgical Service (CESS): Consensus-based guidelines for Video EEG monitoring in the pre-surgical evaluation of children with epilepsy in the UK (2017)
●Choosing Wisely UK: Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – Buccal midazolam or lorazepam should be in the treatment of prolonged seizures in young people and children, as these are the most effective treatments, in preference to rectal and intravenous diazepam (2016)
●NICE: Quality standard on epilepsy in children and young people (2013)
India
●Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP): Guidelines for childcare by parents
•77. Care of a child with epilepsy (2020-2021)
•78. Acute episodes of seizures: What to do? (2021-2022)
•79. Care of children with febrile seizure (2021-2022)
●IAP: Standard treatment guidelines
•40. Evaluation and management of status epilepticus in children (2022)
•110. Unprovoked seizures (2022)
•126. Neonatal seizure (2022)
●Association of Child Neurology (AOCN) Consensus statement on the diagnosis and management of febrile seizures (2022)
●AOCN–Indian Epilepsy Society (IES) Consensus Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of West syndrome (2021)
●AOCN–IES: Consensus document on parental counseling of children with epilepsy (2019)
●AOCN–IES: Consensus document on social and legal aspects of childhood epilepsy (SOLACE) (2019)
●IAP: Consensus statement on management of childhood convulsive status epilepticus (2014)
●IAP: Guidelines for diagnosis and management of childhood epilepsy (2009)
Australia-New Zealand
●Choosing Wisely Australia: Do not routinely perform computed tomography (CT) scanning of children presenting with new onset seizures (2018)
●Choosing Wisely Australia: Do not routinely perform electroencephalographs (EEGs) for children presenting with febrile seizures (2018)
●Choosing Wisely Australia: Do not routinely undertake repeat blood level monitoring of antiepileptic drug (AED) treatments (2018)
Japan
●[In Japanese] Japanese Society of Neurology (JSN): Epilepsy practice guidelines (2018)
●[In English] Japanese Society of Child Neurology (JSCN): New guidelines for management of febrile seizures in Japan (2017)
●[In Japanese] JSCN: Pediatric seizure stacking treatment guidelines (2017)
●[In Japanese] JSCN: Febrile seizure clinical practice guidelines (2015)
