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10 year old boy with Seizures and ECG Propable Right Ventricular Hypertrophy

My son is 10 years old and had a secondary generalized seizure on Dec 19, 2011 at school. He was then transported by ambulance to Alberta Children’s Hospital where he was given an ECG, blood work and cognitive tests.  Blood work and cognitive tests were normal.  The emergency physician told us that my son’s ECG was normal except for a small abnormality due to someone just having a seizure and that he should have another ECG done in a month.  He was then sent home. He then had an EEG done and has seen a neurologist who determined that his seizures are suggestive of probable rolandic epilepsy, he is now on 250 mg of Keppra in the morning and 500 mg in the evening.  He is scheduled to have an MRI in Feb.

He also had another ECG done one month after the secondary generalized seizure.  The ECG indicated "right probable ventricular hypertrophy". The docotr said that means he has an enlarged heart.   He then recommended my son have an echocardiogram and be seen by a Pediatric Cardioligist as soon as possible.  

Since  we received the results from our son's second ECG stating “probable right ventricular hypertrophy” and possible left, our lives have been turned upside down. My husband and I are absolutely sick with worry about our little boy and his heart's condition.  I, as his mother, am an absolute wreck not knowing what is going on.  I have googled “probable right ventricular hypertrophy” over and over again and it sounds very serious. Our son has always been a healthy, active and intelligent little boy.  All of this is even more difficult to deal with, given the fact that he was just diagnosed with epilepsy.
My questions:
1.  Is the seizure and ECG readings related?
2.  How accurate is an ECG reading for RVH in a child?
3.  Can a healthy 10 year old boy just develop these health issues, or have they been there for a long time, unnoticed?

Any other info would be greatly appreicated.
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Avatar universal
Thank you......
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for your reply.  I am so very sorry to hear about your precious daughter.  Keep the faith.  I will keep her in my prayers.
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Welcome back. I was so happy to hear back from you that your son was perfectly healthy!! At the moment, my daughter is in chronic heart failure again. (transplants aren't a cure, they only afford you more time) They may or may not relist her for another heart so I just have to cherish every moment. Thank you for asking. take care and my best to you! :)
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Avatar universal
Dear Grendslori,
Thank you so much for your reply to my questions, I truly appreciate your time and all the valuable information you passed on.  My son had an echocardiogram, another ECG and saw the pediatric cardiologist yesterday.  Good news, all tests came back normal.  The cardiologist said that the ECG was not the most accurate test and that is why they followed up with an echo.  My son's heart is fine.  Praise God!  My goodness, you have been through a lot with your little girl.  How is she doing now?  I pray she has good health.  Thanks again.
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Avatar universal
Hello again. One of the most important things for you to think about here is the word: probable. This is not a definite prognosis yet. The EKG records primarily the electrical activity of the heart; sometimes it can record a hypertrophy if the hypertrophy has reached a certain size. There are two basic types of hypertrophy with the heart and you do not say which one your doctor thinks it is; you should ask him which it is. One type is where the wall are too thin and the chamber is too large, the other is where the walls are too thick and the chamber size is reduced. For the most part the first form is caused by a virus and the second form is caused by a genectic issue. The right ventricle receives the blood coming back into the heart from around the body; it is not the main pumping chamber, that is the left ventrical. The fact that your son's right ventricle is possibly affected, is actually better news than if the left ventricle was affected. Neither is good, but if it came down to a choice, your son is actually sitting better than a child with a left ventricle problem. That child would have an issue with the blood leaving the heart and reaching the brain, thay would also have a lot of problems with breathing. The EKG has nothing to do with the seizures. To truely diagnose this problem, the EKG may be a starting point, but it is not a definite; the echo is much more reliable because it measures the heart walls and chambers and looks at the actual functioning of the heart. Your son will have an echo done when he sees the pediatric cardiologist to determine if he actually has this problem. You asked about this your son having this problem and having it not noticed before now, if that is possible. Yes, it is and it certainly could be missed because it involves the right side of the heart. Had it been the left side, he would have been dealing with a whole different set of cards and you certainly would have known there was a problem. My own daughter had a severe form of cardiomyopathy which destroyed both the right as well as the left side of her heart and we only found that as a fluke when she was hospitized at the age of six; she eventually needed a heart transplant. Keep us posted and also, there is a Pediatric Cardiology Forum here on the Medhelp site for the support of parents and families; you may want to jump over to that forum as well. take care      
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2 Comments
My son has been epilepic for 8 years now and we have just discovered his high blood pressure. They did a EKG today and it said left ventricular hypertrophy and early depolarization. To see pediactric cardio soon and started bp meds to lower bp
Repolariaztion
Avatar universal
I hate it when I lose everything I wrote and now I have to leave for awhile!!! I'll be back later to answer your question...hang in there. In the meantime, you may want to look up:  the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation as well.
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