Ian Forsythe

Cognitive Impairment in New Cases of Epilepsy Randomly Assigned to Carbamazepine, Phenytoin and Sodium Valproate

Sixty‐four new cases of childhood epilepsy were randomly assigned to either carbamazepine, phenytoin or sodium valproate, and were assessed with cognitive tests before medication and three subsequent times over a year. Carbamazepine in moderate dosage adversely affected memory, but sodium valproate and phenytoin did not.

Clonidine and Childhood Migraine: a Pilot and Double‐blind Study

In a pilot study of 50 children with migraine treated with clonidine for two to 15 months (average six months), 20 children obtained complete relief and remained in remission for an average of 36 months. However, in a double‐blind cross‐over study of an additional 43 children, there was no significant difference between treatment with clonidine and placebo as regards frequency, duration or severity of migraine attacks.

Pizotifen (Sanomigran) in Childhood Migraine

Forty-seven children with migraine have been included in a double-blind crossover study with pizotifen and placebo. The children received either pizotifen for 3 months followed by placebo or vice vers

Relapse in children treated for nocturnal enuresis: prediction of response using pre-treatment variables

Thirty-seven children successfully treated for nocturnal enuresis were followed-up. Short term relapse was determined by clinical contact for 6 months whilst long term monitoring was measured by a mailed questionnaire up to 4 years after treatment. The relationship between pre-treatment variables and relapse was examined with particular reference to maternal and child perceptions of the enuresis. Results suggest relapse was particularly related to the childs lack of concern over bedwetting.

The relationship between the Rutter A Questionnaire and an interview with mother in assessing child psychiatric disturbance among enuretic children

Forty-one children who were being treated in a paediatric clinic for enuresis were studied to see how many of them were psychiatrically disturbed on clinical assessment and to ascertain the usefulness of 2 cut-off points of T (total) scores on the Rutter A scale in identifying them. A score of 13 or more which had previously been recommended was found to be inadequate in this group of cases. There were indications that a cut-off point of 18 or more was more appropriate. The importance of knowing the base rate of psychiatric disorder in the population on which the questionnaire is being used is emphasized, since this affects the selection of an appropriate cut-off point.