Anticonvulsant management of status epilepticus (SE) may result in respiratory depression, often requiring endotracheal intubation (ETI). By examining rates of ETI in childhood SE after intravenous diazepam or lorazepam, when administered alone or in combination with phenytoin, the influence of anticonvulsants on the frequency of ETI during SE was determined. The medical records of 142 consecutive children younger than 16 years of age admitted from a university hospital ED with seizures during a 28-month period were retrospectively reviewed. SE was identified in 38 (27%) of cases. Records of children with SE were reviewed for demographic, seizure severity, and management variables. Twelve patients were excluded, ten of whom received concomitant phenobarbital. Patients receiving lorazepam had ETI rate of 27% (4/15), compared to 73% (8/11) in the diazepam group (P = 0.026, Fisher's exact). The groups were not significantly different in age, weight, sex, seizure type, seizure duration, and appropriate anticonvulsant dosage. A prospective, randomized trial comparing lorazepam and diazepam is warranted to confirm the apparent advantage of lorazepam in reducing respiratory depression.