Current Treatment Strategies for Dravet Syndrome

In this episode “Current Treatment Strategies for Dravet Syndrome,” the panelists explore how genetic findings influence treatment selection and long-term management in Dravet syndrome. Expert faculty discuss the practical realities of treating patients when clinical suspicion for Dravet syndrome exists before genetic confirmation is available, emphasizing the importance of initiating appropriate management early and avoiding therapies that may worsen outcomes.

The discussion highlights the critical role of SCN1A testing in guiding treatment decisions, including the avoidance of sodium channel blockers in patients with loss-of-function variants commonly associated with Dravet syndrome. Panelists also review important exceptions, including rare gain-of-function SCN1A variants, and explain how clinical presentation and genetic findings must be interpreted together to ensure appropriate management.

Expert faculty examine current consensus treatment recommendations and review the evolution of the Dravet syndrome treatment landscape. The panel discusses the role of established therapies, including valproate, clobazam, stiripentol, fenfluramine, cannabidiol, ketogenic diet, and other adjunctive options, while highlighting the significant improvements in seizure control that have transformed patient care over the past decade. Faculty reflect on how advances in treatment have reduced hospitalizations and improved quality of life for many patients.

The conversation also looks toward the future, focusing on the growing momentum behind disease-modifying therapies approaches. Panelists discuss ongoing clinical trials, expanding opportunities for adult patients with Dravet syndrome, and the promise of gene-targeted therapies that may address the underlying biology of the disease rather than simply reducing seizures. Together, these developments represent an important shift in the management of Dravet syndrome.

The next episode in this series, “Dravet Syndrome Managing Refractory Seizures Across the Lifespan,” the expert faculty will discuss the persistent challenge of refractory seizures despite advances in guideline-recommended therapies. The panel highlights how treatment decisions must be individualized based on age, seizure type, prior treatment history, and evolving clinical needs across pediatric and adult care. Faculty also explore treatment sequencing, revisiting prior therapies, nonpharmacologic options, and the growing role of clinical trials for patients who continue to experience uncontrolled seizures.