How can an EEG be normal? PLEASE HELP! TODDLER

[vickilynnpurdy]

After three eeg's, one 24 hour eeg, all normal results!!! and one MRI that shows slight decrease in white matter and bilateral temporal horn prominence:.....He is 21 months old has absence seizures, tonic, and atonic also! When he has a temp he will also have myoclonic and very LONG absence type...With a very long postictal period. {The later is only with high temp!} he has blue sclera and also spooned shaped toe nails......other than this he is developing normally and is a very joyful child!   We first noticed and video taped his seizures at just a few months of age....Please someone explaine to me WHY or HOW he can have normal EEG's even when done during a terrible postictal period that even affected his memory {temporary} and cause him to sleep long long hours...No slowing or anything!!!  I just do not understand and also wonder: Do these children ever grow out of this?

[vickilynnpurdy]

We would really really appreciate it if we could get you to join our facebook epilepsy and our children group. We have just started this up and got it running in the last few hours. Right now we are just a few moms wanting info and to talk and support one another, but soon we will have loads of people on here and boy could we use you!! Please add your self on our group!!  How awesome this would be!!!  Thanks!!! =) Vicki

[vickilynnpurdy]

You have taught me moew in just a few hours than I have learned in a year and a half! I thank-you from the bottom of my heart!!!  What is white matter and what does a decrease in it mean?....So your responce to the temporal horn prominence.....Is this a reversible condition or is this something that continues to increase? Hippocampus area of the brain is the portion that controls....What?.....
Sorry for so many questions!!  I just want to know all I can about this little guys condition, so that I can help him all  that I can. I work with him daily on colors and shapes and sizes and we look at books together, talk about everything in the pictures..
He is 21 months old, but does not connect two words together!  Could this also be related to the temporal horn prominence?   Again, I truly thank you!! Dont mean to bother you, and am so Blessed to be able to learn from you!!! Thank you!!

[Dr Vinod]

Valproic acid is higly effective in absence seizures and considered by many to be the drug of choice. Also for myoclonic and atonic seizures.
Phenobarbitol is for simple partial, complex partial and generalized tonic clonic seizures.
The clinician is giving a perfect combination of drugs.
The memory loss and sleep is associated with the temporal horn prominence.
It is the Hippocampus region of the brain.
Take care and come back to us for further queries.
Thank You

[vickilynnpurdy]

Thank-you do very very much for that reply. It is aweful when a Mom searches and can not find an answer. I appreciate you taking the time.! What does the decrease in white matter mean, and the bilateral temporal horn prominence?...These were evident on the MRI....Hayes is taking one tsp twice a day of phenobarbital and 3ml of valproic acid twice perday!  Thank you again!!!!

[Dr Vinod]

During seizures there is decrease in blood supply to brain and it may be damaging if it continues.
The electroencephalogram (EEG) is the depiction of the electrical activity occurring at the surface of the brain. Conversely, a normal EEG does not exclude epilepsy. Many types of epilepsy may be associated with a normal EEG between seizures.
In your child the medical history and other tests suggest that a person has epilepsy, but there is no sign of seizure activity on the EEG.
You should continue your treatment near the paediatrician and the neurologist and hope he will respond to the treatment. There are many anti-epileptic drugs and the physician will try his best.
Take care!