The FDA has approved Lamictal for some seizures in children as young as 2 years of age. Research suggests that it is effective for many seizure types, including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Many children take Depakote or other valproate medicines (Depakene, valproic acid). These medicines make Lamictal stay in the body much longer. To keep from having too much Lamictal in their body (which would probably cause unwanted side effects), these children must take very small doses of it. Other children may take up to 5 times as much!

Doctors figure out how much medicine to give to young children based mostly on their weight. Children ages 2 to 12 who are also taking Depakote will probably end up taking 1 to 5 milligrams (mg) per day of Lamictal for every kilogram (kg, about 2.2 pounds) of their body weight. For example, a 55-pound child taking 3 mg per kg would be given 75 mg per day. (Of course, they will start by taking much less.) Children who don't take Depakote generally take between 5 and 15 mg per kg per day. The pills are usually given twice a day.

The amount of Lamictal taken by children over 12 is more like the adult dose, which also depends on whether the person is taking Depakote.