Seizures

Seizures are not uncommon for people with chromosome differences in general. For example, half of the people with a diagnosis of Emanuel syndrome, will experience seziures. Some of them are grand mal seizures, and some are partial seizures. There are many different types of seizures seen in our children. Some of our children have seizures that are serious and difficult to control. Many of our children require medication to control their seizures.

A seizure is best described as a sudden abnormal electrical discharge in the brain.

Types of Seizures

Seizures can look very different depending on where in the brain the electrical discharge is occurring. Doctors classify seizures into types based on what they look like. Here are some common examples:

• Generalized tonic-clonic seizure – the whole body convulses, and the child loses consciousness. He may wet himself or bite his tongue. This type of seizure used to be called “grand mal” seizures, because they look scary when they are happening! They are also very tiring – afterwards, the child will want to sleep.

• Absence seizure – these can be very subtle, as consciousness is only lost for a second or two. Usually, the only noticeable sign that a seizure is happening is the person pauses what they are doing and may flutter their eyelids. These used to be called “petit mal” seizures.

• Complex partial seizure – this type is variable. Usually, the child appears to be awake, but they are not responsive when you talk to them. One or more parts of the body may move in a repetitive way (for example, lip-smacking or hand wringing). They usually last between 30 seconds to 2 minutes, and when the seizure is over, the child feels tired and does not remember it happening.

• Infantile spasms – like the name suggests, this type of seizure occurs only in infants, and it does literally look like a spasm. The whole body jerks either forward (like a sit-up) or backward. . The child appears to be awake and may not seem disturbed by the seizure. They can happen alone or in clusters (several in a row).

• Febrile seizures – These are typically generalized tonic-clonic seizures that occur when a child (usually between 6 months and 3 years of age) is mounting a fever, or when the fever is starting to break.

• Epilepsy is simply the term used to describe the tendency to have seizures. A child who had a single febrile seizure does not have epilepsy unless he or she continues to have seizures once the fever has gone away. Epilepsy usually begins in childhood or adolescence. Some children who have epilepsy grow out of it by the time they reach adulthood.

What should you do if your child has a seizure?

If your child has a seizure for the first time, they should be checked out in the hospital emergency room right away. The doctors will do a CAT scan to make sure there is no bleeding in the brain causing the seizure. A neurologist will usually see the child as well, either in the emergency room or as an outpatient. 

An electroencephalogram (EEG) will be done to see if there is a specific location in the brain that is prone to seizure activity. Depending on the type of seizure, the age of the child, and the results of the EEG and CAT scan (or MRI scan), the doctor may decide to put your child on medication. Anticonvulsant medications (for example: valproic acid, phenobarb, lamotrigine, and carbamazepine) can help prevent further seizures from happening, but they all have side effects. It can take awhile to get the right balance of medication type and dose while avoiding side effects.

Epilepsy.com is a great parent-friendly website for further information on seizures.

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