Grand Mal Seizures - Help

[blueskeyes]

My 2 1/2 year old suffered a grand mal seizure last Sunday.  He has never had anything like that happen before, and there was no warning.  We went to the ER and were told it was a "febrile" seizure (his temp was 102.4).  They administered Motrin and Tylenol and he started feeling better.  He was released, and as we were walking out of the ER (literally) he started seizing again.  This was about 3-hours after the first episode.  He was admitted into the ICU where he had two more seizures over the next 8-hours.  During one of the seizures, they gave him Atavan (?).  While there, he was tested for meningitis, pneumonia, had a CT scan and numerous blood tests - all tests came back fine.  

He was released Tuesday morning and was fine until last Friday when, out-of-the-blue, he had another seizure.  His pediatrician put him on "phenobarbital", which we started Friday afternoon.  The next day (yesterday), he was groggy and lethargic - probably due to both the seizures themselves, and the medication.  He had three seizures during the day.  Today he has had three seizures.  

My concern is that he is having so many.  And, what could have triggered these episodes, as he has always been healthy?  

**During the seizures, he clenches his hands up near his neck and his entire body shakes / jerks.  He makes "ck ck" sounds in his throat, and in a few his lips have turned blue.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!  

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Among all the tests done, I can not see EEG mentioned. EEG (electroencephalogram) is the most useful test one can do to diagnose seizures. EEG can tell which area of the brain the seizures are coming from.

Phenobarbital may not be adequate. He may need some stronger anti-epileptic, but only after an EEG is done.

Hope your son recovers soon.

Regards

[blueskeyes]

Thank you for taking the time to read my post, and for the advice!  We are actually expecting a call from our local neurology department tomorrow to set up an EEG, so hopefully we will know more after that.  That was a great idea about getting copies of the hospital tests.  Will call them first thing in the morning.  Thanks again!!

[sleeplessohio]

Hello- been there and living through it 17 years later. Our son started have Grand Mals at 9 months, He was DX with epilespy. He has gone through many med changes through out the years and now takes meds and has a vegal nerve  stimulator implant (VNS) to help with seizure control.

If you have not made an appointment with a neurologist please do. Bring copies of all ER reports and test result form hospital stay as well as copies of and scans that were done and the reports from them. i love the family doctors but when dealing with siezure you need to be working with a neurologist as they specialize in this.

Hang in there