Adrenocortical hormone (ACH) has been used in the treatment of the epilepsies,especially for epileptic encephalopathy,for over 70 years.ACH is clearly established as fast line treatment of infantile spasm and the Landau-Kleffner syndrome.This is typically as monotherapy in infantile spasm,but often in conjunction with anti-epileptic drugs in Landau-Kleffner syndrome,though the mechanism of ACH for epilepsies is not clear.However,in view of these potential adverse side effects,the use of ACH in the treatment of the epilepsies in children must be determined on a risk-benefit basis.