Epilepsy is a condition that can have an effect on people of many different ages. Unfortunately, this condition is still a mystery to a lot of people. There are a lot of things that everyone should know about epilepsy. Those who are diagnosed with it typically experience more than one seizure before they are officially diagnosed.
For the most part, children who have this condition end up growing out of it before they reach adulthood, fortunately. But it’s still not a fun thing to go through, and some people do not know what signs and symptoms to look out for. Here are some of the signs that a child might have a form of epilepsy.
10 THEY MIGHT HAVE NUMBNESS
Children with epilepsy may find that they have numbness in one or more areas of their body. There are actually multiple forms of epilepsy, and this sign is something that may happen when a kid has Benign Rolandic Epilepsy.
But these days, some do not use the word “benign” when they are discussing this condition, since some of the children who have it have been known to have learning difficulties. Since that is the case, learning difficulties is another symptom moms and dads should be on the lookout for. The seizures a child has when they have this condition will likely stop a few years after they started.
9THEY HAVE STIFF LIMBS
Babies can also have epilepsy, and it can be rather alarming to parents because they might not know about it until their child’s limbs suddenly get stiff. Babies who experience this will also likely push their head forward during a seizure.
The cause of this is something called Infantile Spasms. These seizures will typically go away in a few years. But children who have it when they are infants are much more likely to have other types of epilepsy when they get older.
But not all of these seizures look the same. There are some cases in which a baby’s head will get pushed back during a seizure like this instead of being pushed forward.G
8THEY JUST STARE
Staring can actually be a symptom of epilepsy in children. Typically, when someone pictures a person having a seizure, they imagine that person flailing about wildly, and possibly foaming at the mouth or something like that.
But that is not always how it looks. Some little ones who are suffering from a seizure might actually just stare.
This is usually a symptom of a form of epilepsy that is called Childhood Absence Epilepsy. Those who have this condition sometimes find that they black out during their seizures, which means the child might not be able to remember going through it.
7 CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SEIZURES
While some forms of epilepsy are more consistent, that is not the case for Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. That is because those who have it actually display different kinds of symptoms during every seizure they have, which makes it difficult to tell which kind of epilepsy they are dealing with.
Children with this condition might have seizures that involve blackouts, much like the ones who have Childhood Absence Epilepsy. But on the other hand, they could also do something else, such as twitching or crying out. They also may not respond to any sounds. This is more likely to occur within the first 30 minutes of the child waking up than it is at any other time of the day.
6KIDS AFFECTED BY EPILEPSY MIGHT LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS
In some cases, when a child loses consciousness during a seizure, that could mean that they are suffering from some type of epilepsy. But parents should note that a loss of consciousness does not have to occur during a seizure for a person to be epileptic.
It is simply a symptom that can happen occasionally. Another interesting and important fact is that partial seizures (which start in one area of a person’s brain) can either be simple or complex. When a person has a simple partial seizure, they do not lose consciousness. But they do lose it when they have a complex partial seizure.
5 THEY MIGHT DO SOME VERY STRANGE THINGS
Children might do some odd things when they are having a seizure, such as picking at their clothing, or walking around the room for no particular reason. When they do things like this, it is likely that they are having a focal seizure, which can be a sign of epilepsy if a person has many of them.
Mothers and fathers might also notice that their child is talking, but not making any sense, which is a big red flag if they are usually pretty good at speaking. They might also try to reach out and grab things that are not actually there.
4SOMETIMES THEY APPEAR CONFUSED
It’s not particularly odd to see someone look confused, but it is a symptom of epilepsy that parents need to watch out for. But if a child is having a seizure, this is not likely to be the first strange thing that gets noticed by those who are around the child at the time of the event.
That is because children often seem to be confused after it is over. Another important thing to remember is that confusion does not accompany all epileptic seizures. But it sometimes happens after a particularly dramatic seizure during which a child was very active.
3 SOME MIGHT BE MISDIAGNOSED
Sometimes it can be hard for doctors to find the correct cause for something, which is why some children who have a form of epilepsy may get misdiagnosed. Those who have Childhood Absence Epilepsy might get misdiagnosed with ADHD, since they can appear as though they are daydreaming and not paying attention to their surroundings.
Another reason why medical professionals may be under the impression a child with this condition has ADHD instead is because they often return to normal as soon as the seizure is finished. This can make it look as though they were simply ignoring their surroundings.A
2RAPID EYE MOVEMENTS
Sometimes children hardly move during an epileptic seizure, but there are also times when certain parts of their body, such as their eyes, move at quite a rapid pace. It is unfortunate when a child is going through something like this.
But the good thing about a symptom such as this one is that it is easy to notice, which means whoever is around the child at the time will likely see what is happening and spring into action rather quickly. The child’s eyes might move very fast, or they might just look upward or flutter. This can happen during an absence seizure.
1 THEY MIGHT COMPLAIN OF NAUSEA
When a child has Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, there is a big chance that he or she will also experience some nausea when they have a seizure caused by their condition. This type of epilepsy usually begins when a person is around 10 years of age, and it can continue until they are into their teenage years.
But it can also appear in someone if they have an issue with their temporal lobe. Aside from nausea, they might also have a certain taste in their mouth, or they might detect a particular smell for no reason. Children going through this might also experience déjà vu.
SOURCE: Article by K. Landry for Moms.com
