please help

[nacha1108]

a few months ago my five year old child began to cross her eyes, she will not see anyone and seems to be lost in some sort of spasm, her body tenses up and her hands involuntarily closes and open as her entire body tenses up. it seems to happen the most when she is tired, but it can happen at any time. she is completely normal and healthy any other way. she has had regular check ups, and eye test and nothing ever appeared wrong. I asked her about it but she said did not realize she was doing it, and could not tell me what she had been doing. its almost like she looses time. I have been trying to snap her out of it when she is in that state and she just looks at me smiles and says "im doing the crazy face again, arent i mommy" whta do I do, do I take her to regular doctor? an eye doctor? or a neuroligists? please help!!! anyone at all.

[nacha1108]

Thank you Gary I will take your advice into consideration and try that out.

[Gary1974]

At 13 my daughter had what was diagnosed as PNES. Psychogenic Non Epileptic Seizures.  These types of seizures are brought on from stress, or a set of stressful events.  There is usually an initial trigger, but the worst part is that you may never find that trigger.  Most kids grow out of them, but some do not.  My daughter had them for about 14 months.  She was having 25-30 a day.  Flashing, strobe, or police lights triggered them too.  Her eyes would cross too like your daughters.  She said she had about 15-90 seconds where she felt like she was falling into a seizure, then it would take control.  Once she was locked into the seizure, it would last for anywhere from 20 seconds to 90 seconds.  We realized if we made her snack and kept her from getting hungry it really helped.  She got to the point where she recognized the onset of the initial symptoms.  It turns out that if she caught herself sliding into a seizure, if she looked away from the lights, or ate something quickly, she could sometimes avoid them.  If she didn't avoid them, sometimes she could at least avoid the shaking and tensing up... she would call these frozen states Focals -- as if she was focused on a point in front of her and time stopped.  She said she could even hear people talk around her sometimes.  She was on medication for the first two-three months, but is medicine free now.  She is 15 now, and once in a while will take an zanax when she is super stressed out.  I don't like her too, but it's better than a seizure.  I still worry about her, but she's been seizure free for about 15 months now.  I think if you made sure your daughter is never going too long without a meal, and has nutra grain or snack bars with her... it might just be key in helping curb the seizures.  Chemical imbalances contribute to weird behaviors in people, and when you are hungry, people react in different ways.

[nacha1108]

After the doctor saw the video tape of my daughter (thank you for suggesting it) he too has a fear that it might be absence seizures and we have been refered to a neurologists, I also need to take in for an MRI, I am out of my depth in this field so if any one has any suggestions for me please let know.

[specialmom]

Oh good.  Please do come back and let us know what you find out.  All the best to you and your child

[nacha1108]

thank you for responding so rapidly, I have made an appointment for tomorrow, and will keep in touch. I did some research on seizures and you might be right, it sounds like absence seizures to me, althought most of the info does not mention the eye crossing, but everything else is almost identical. I hope not, I hope im wrong no one wants to think their child as anything other than in perfect health. but Iam so glad that we are in an era when we can help eachother thought the internet. * thank you

[specialmom]

Absolutely agree she needs to go to the doctor about this immediately.  You could video tape it next time it is happening.  Show it to the doctor.  She may need a neurological exam as it indeed sounds a bit like a seizure.  But your primary care doctor is the place to start and go from there.  Best of luck to you and do please come back and tell us what the doctor says.  peace

[MarkLakewood3367]

I would not want to second guess this behavior.  I would take her to her pediatrician.  The pediatrician should be able to point you in the right direction.  This behavior almost sounds like a seizure.  But again, it would be wrong for me to second guess.