Long-term effect of phenobarbital on cognitive function in children with febrile convulsions

Psychometric tests were performed on 50 children with a history of febrile convulsions. Twenty-five of these had received daily phenobarbital for a mean of 35 months; 25 had received no phenobarbital. The two groups were matched for sex, age at the time of testing, race, and socioeconomic status. The tests used were the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), the Matching Familiar Figures Test, and the Children's Embedded Figures Test. There were no significant differences in test results between the two groups.