want information about seizures in children

[vickilynnpurdy]

He started having absence seizures at only a few months old. Then many months later he added in tonic seizures. He had sometimes many a week and then sometimes NOT one FOR WEEKS!!! He one time with a fever had a very very very long {many minutes} tonic seizure, followed by a clonic one without any tonic movements. The postictal period was aweful and long and he had many memory problems for a week after ward. He also did alot of sleeping. His eegs are all noirmal,and all the MRI shows is a small temporal prominence bilaterally and small amt of decreased white matter. Any ideas on what kind of epilepsy this is and will he out grow it? and what can i do to help him? He is just a toddler.......

[Lama Chahine, MD]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

There are many different types of epilepsies, and it is difficult to know which one your son has. Generalized epilepsies are those in which seizures are generated from various areas of the brain, whereas focal epilepsies are those generated by one part of the brain. Given the description you provide, it sounds like he has a generalized epilepsy. Generalized epilepsies are further divided into those that are primary, meaning of no identifiable cause, and secondary, meaning secondary to some problem (structural such as a tumor, a brain malformation, etc or metabolic, due to a genetic or metabolic condition). I am not sure what the MRI findings in your son mean (without being able to view the MRI and understand his history and examine him better) but they may be entirely unrelated to his seizures.

As you mention above, seizures are often followed by prolonged periods of confusion. Seizure threshold (the likelyhood a seizure will occur) is lowered (i.e. seizures are more likely to occur) when a child has fevers, has not slept well, or is otherwise stressed. Besides ensuring proper sleep and nutrition, it is important to understand that when a child has epilepsy, treating him/her with seizure medications is essential, despite the side effects that some seizure medications have. Over half of all patients with epilepsy can be controlled with one seizure medication; others require more than one medication.

If you have access to a pediatric neurologist or pediatric epilepsy specialist to participate in the care of your son, this may be of benefit for him. If learning or motor difficulties are suspected early on, early intervention with learning assistance and physical therapists will also benefit him. Many children with childhood epilepsy do outgrow their seizures or have them less frequently as they get older, but others continue to have seizures into adulthood. Many are able to lead normal and productive lives even if their epilepsy continues. It depends on the type of epilepsy, and it is important for you to discuss your questions with your son's physician to better understand his condition and to understand what to expect. More information can also be obtained from reliable internet sites such as medhelp.org and  http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.