What Is Intractable Epilepsy? Intractable epilepsy is when seizures can't be controlled by medicines. (Intractable means "not easily managed or relieved.") It's also called refractory, uncontrolled, or drug-resistant epileptic seizures. About 1 in 3 of people with epilepsy have intractable seizures. What Happens in Intractable Epilepsy? Intractable epilepsy happens when the medicine prescribed for a seizure type doesn't work, stops working, or causes severe side effects that make it difficult to use. Who Gets Intractable Epilepsy? Intractable epilepsy is common in kids who have infantile spasms, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, or, less often, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Seizures caused by tumors, scarring from brain injury, or lack of oxygen also can be intractable. How Is Intractable Epilepsy Diagnosed? Intractable epilepsy usually is diagnosed after three carefully chosen, safe medicines don't completely control the seizures. The chances of a fourth medicine working are very low, so doctors will diagnose intractability at this point. How Is Intractable Epilepsy Treated? When medicines do not prevent a child's seizures, doctors may recommend a special diet, like the high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet. Sometimes they recommend vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). In VNS, an implanted device (a stimulator) sends mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain through the vagus nerve. Epilepsy surgery might be an option for about half of children with intractable epilepsy. Most of them can benefit significantly from surgery. How Can I Help My Child? Talk to your doctor to see what treatments are available for your child. Make sure your child takes medicines as prescribed and avoids known seizure triggers, such as lack of sleep, antihistamine use, or excessive stress. Always tell the doctor if you think a medicine isn't working or you don't notice any improvement. This helps the doctor give your child the best possible care. It's important to keep your child safe during a seizure. So make sure that other adults and caregivers (family members, babysitters, teachers, coaches, etc.) know what to do. Back to Articles Related Articles Epilepsy Epilepsy causes electrical signals in the brain to misfire, which can lead to multiple seizures. Anyone can get epilepsy at any age, but most new diagnoses are in kids. Read More Infantile Spasms Infantile spasms (IS) is a seizure disorder in babies. The spasms usually go away by age 4, but many babies with IS will have other kinds of epilepsy later. Read More Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a seizure disorder. Children with LGS have several different kinds of seizures. Read More Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy Kids with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) have one or more of several different kinds of seizures, which begin around the age of puberty. Read More Epilepsy Factsheet (for Schools) What teachers should know about epilepsy, and what they can do to help students with the condition succeed in school. Read More Epilepsy Surgery Epilepsy surgery is an operation done on the brain to reduce or stop seizures. Read More Epilepsy Seizures are a common symptom of epilepsy, a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Learn all about epilepsy, including what to do if you see someone having a seizure. Read More Epilepsy It comes from a Greek word meaning "to hold or seize," and seizures are what happen to people with epilepsy. Learn more about epilepsy in this article written just for kids. Read More Seizures Seizures are caused by a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain. Find out what you need to know about seizures and what to do if your child has one. Read More Word! Seizure You might hear a seizure called a convulsion, fit, or spell. Read More First Aid: Seizures Although seizures can be frightening, usually they last only a few minutes, stop on their own, and are almost never life-threatening. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.