My research revealed that most of the research on AEDs and brain development has focused on what happens while a child develops in utero while the mother is taking AEDs. There is a great deal of research about the impact of AEDs on brain development in infants, children, adolescents and adults. There are negative cognitive consequences for all.
There is still not enough research being done on this topic and in my opinion it's a "lesser of two evils" situation: Ending/controlling the seizures vs suffering the negative cognitive impacts. You choose. "Travel at your own risk"
The greatest concern and focus of research is NOT on the negative impact on adults. It angers me to realize how much is still in the UNKNOWN category where long term epilepsy treatment is concerned.

I've been diagnosed with epilepsy since I was 8, starting with AEDs such as carbamazepine and tegretol in progressively higher doses throughout my mid-childhood. I didn't find the AEDs impacted my education, more the seizures and lack of people's knowledge and understanding did.

I was diagnosed when I was 5yo. Originally on phenobarbital & Phenytoin for many years. Side effects from long-term use were
1) feeling like I was in a cloud
2) depression. / feeling awkward.
3) some stability issues.
Lack of social interaction beyond sports & class, etc., but that could be attributed to 1 & 2.
Moved to Phenytoin alone & many others.
Turns out i was constantly overdosed.
I have a high IQ & have always been good w/ logic, strategy, etc. So no issues w/ brain development
My issues were hormonal, & severe osteoporosis due to Phenytoin being a calcium inhibitor.

@A MyEpilepsyTeam Member this is why we are so different. i was in kindergarden when i had warning seizures that thought it was add/adhd. 1st grand mal when i was 2nd grade. surgery at 15. the only thing that i can think of (pre surgery) was the truble with writing and english reading (i mixed up nouns and verbs and things like that) and maybe homework help (later in high school). when i had the surgery, then i got the same list as you. all 1-5 and then some.
i wonder if we were raised differently or had seizures earlyer/later in live... is that inpacted our lives? or if our parents teaches differently?

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A MyEpile...

When i was growing up with my seizures in my late teens, my brain development wasn't much of an issue as much as my memory was. But studying graphic communications was easy for me.