wanting to understand EEG and MRI results

[vickilynnpurdy]

21 month old szs since 8 months. normal  eegx3. absence szs at first then tonic, then months later, atonic, myoclonic when he had a high temp one day. sometimes many a day, sometimes none for weeks. one eeg during prolonged postictal and still normal eeg. Mti shows bilateral temporal horn prominence and decreased white matter bilaterally. Normal developmental issues, talkes alot, but does not connect two words together yet.
Wanting to know if these szs can cause brain damage and do they out grow them? He had alot of memory issues during postictal state, forgot what the names of toys and pictures. Memory all came back, but just worried. He takes phenobarbital and depakene....Also please tell me how  an EEG can be normal even when done during a terribly tramatic postictal period..... We are out in the middle of nowhere and have trouble seeking great medical help. We have traveled far to get the testing done that we have so far....but I need some advice ....and ideas on all of this. He also wears a helmet due to his atonic seizures and the number of times he has hit his tiny head....Please tell me all that you know!!!!!  

[vickilynnpurdy]

Awesome! So glad  to hear that they live near a great Dr.! Do NOT rely on a pediatrician though!! Make sure that a neurologist sees the videos of these seizures! We were also told a year ago that the EEG's and the MRI were normal, only to wait way too long to start meds and he has had some pretty damaging seizures...Wish we had had a Dr then that was willing to listen and actually pay close attention to the videos, and what we were telling them! Too late for us, but not for your little sweety!!!  You're a great Grandmother to take the time to look for information for your Grandchild! I hope your kids appreciate you.....How Blessed they are!!!

[Terrena]

Thanks for responding.  He has no fever and and hasn't ever had them but the do resemble febrile seizures a bit. He is nursing or relaxed when they happen and short.  He seems unaffected by them.  He had an MRI and EEG and the came back normal.  His ped wants to say he has benign elpilepsy....sounds like a easy solution to something he doesn't understand.

My daughter lives in Sacramento and in Los Angeles they have the Childrens Hospital and they have some great dr's there.  We are going to keep an eye on him an see if they increase or diminish over the next few month.  

[vickilynnpurdy]

His first seizures were absence seizures. He woould just stare off into space...for just a few seconds....Months later he started having atonic seizures where he would just be walking and colapse, hit his little head on the floor and then get up and resume what he was doing. .....A couple months later and with a fever this time..He had many many many myoclonic seizures {the ones in the video} He would just jerk....He also has tonic {stiffening} seizures... and with a high temp he had a clonic tonic seizure {stiffening and bending...}  
He wears a helmet to protect his little head from the atonic seizures...So many bruises....=(

Wewent for a year before he was put on any meds..because at first they thought it was just infantile spasms, or febrile seizures. HOWEVER HE HAD HUNDREDS OF SEIZURES w/o and fever!!!..NO ONE WOULD LISTEN TO US AT ALL!!!!!....Until he has a grand mal right in the pediatricians office!!!!

My suggestion is.....Check to see if this little sweety has a fever with these and find a good neurologist that will listen...A PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST!!!  Riley children's hospital in Indianapolis Indiana has the BEST!!! Deborah Sokol......She is awesome!!!!
Stay in touch!!! I would love to hear more!!!!

[Terrena]

Hi just joined her because my grandson is 6 mos and started having this shudder sz like motions.  My kids found this page that shows videos
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/full/70/13/e38/DC1

and this new article is a journal...did you son's look like these at first?
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/full/70/13/e38