The objectives of the study are to assess the effects of phenobarbital, a commonly prescribed anticonvulsant, on tests of intelligence and behavior in children. The design of this study permitted comparison of measures of tested intelligence and of behavior in children with febrile seizures who had been treated with phenobarbital, and in a group of seizure-free control children. A comparison of the groups allowed assessment of benefit and risk of treatment fort a common childhood neurologic problem. *[This study supports the DNB/ND/NINDS contract study entitled: """"""""Behavioral and cognitive side effects of phenobarbital used for prevention of febrile seizure recurrence."""""""" The project officer is Dr. Deborah G. Hirtz, DNB, DCDND, NINDS, and the contractor of the study is the University of Washington. The primary paper from this study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
