[Info] Possible Causes for Epilepsy and Seizures

[Ruth]

Here's more evidence on abuse and the hippocampus:

Cindy, in your quote you mentioned it could start at the time of birth. It could happen before birth when the child is in the womb. If the mother is hit, especially where the baby is, There would be trauma!!

I have never asked my neurologist about my hippocampus or my Left Temporal Lobe. I am going to!! I want more details on what is wrong with me.

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

I just posted an article on "Epilepsy and Childhood Abuse." That should help give you more info...

[Ruth]

Hi Phylis,
I just read and commented on it. It is a great article. I hope a lot of people here comment on it.

I have both Epilepsy and NESD. I wonder if it is because of my emotional abuse when I was a child. It was a sin to have epilepsy in my family.

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

We couldn't have "sins" in my family (we were Jewish), just neglect and denial.

[Cinnabar]

Death, Child Abuse, and Adverse Neurological Outcome of Infants after an Apparent Life-Threatening Event

Joshus L. Bonkosky,MD, PhDa, Elisabeth Guenther, MD, MPHb,Francis M. Filloux, MDa, Rajendu Srivastava, DD, FRCP, MPHc

Excerpt from article:

Our objectives were to characterize short- and long-term risks for death, child abuse, and abnormal neurological outcomes of infants after an apparent life-threatening event and to identify clinical features that are predictive of these outcomes.

METHODS. We collected data from infants ages birth to 12 months of age who were hospitalized after an apparent life-threatening event during a 5-year time period. Patients were evaluated for subsequent death, child abuse, or adverse neurological outcome (chronic epilepsy or developmental delay.)

RESULTS. A total of 471 patients met inclusion criteria and were followed an average of 5.1 years. Two patients died after developing chronic epilepsy and severe developmental delay. Fifty-four (11%) patients were diagnosed as being a victim of child abuse, but only 2 were identified at initial presentation. There were 23 (4.9) % patients with adverse neurological outcomes, including 17 (3.6) % with chronic epilepsy and 14 (3.0%) with developmental delay. Of those who developed chronic epilepsy, 71% returned within 1 month of the initial apparent life-threatening event with a second event.

So, what is a life threatening event for a child? Is it nearly being run over by a truck? Almost drowning in a swimming pool? Falling out of tree onto pavement? Yes. These are life threatening events for a child. Life threatening for any grown person.

Consider the infant or very young child. What else could be life threatening to them?

1.) A child alone in the house with a mother who won't wake up because she's drugged up on pills and alcholol.
When a child seems something inert they assume it is dead. So, from the child's perspective the mother is dead.
What is the child to? Some may go into denial and create a better imaginary world for themselves. Some may run out of the house and scream (the healthier child) and some children may get a surge of electrical energy, the mind storm, and go into a seizure where they can develope chronic Epilepsy. The apparent loss of a parent with no one around to appeal to...is a life threating situation for a child.

2.) A child is sexually abused by the father, let's say. The child counts on a benign father to be nurturing and often times this is the case. He will push her on the swing during the day and in the evening push her right into the darkness of sexual abuse. The child gets double messages. She's trapped. How does she survive with no one around to appeal to...is a life threatening situation for a child

Because I was this child, I was caused Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

There are so many other scenerios. But know this as fact. Temporal Lobe Epilepsy has to do with the stunting of the left hippocampal volume due to early on trauma.

ABUSE. The one cause, inadvertantly, left off the list in the beginning of this thread, "Possible Causes for Epilepsy and Seizures." Let's not forget it's impact.



http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...urcetype=HWCIT

[Ruth]

Thank you for that important message about child abuse.

What about me with my children? They saw me have seizures and have to be rushed to the hospital several times, where I had to stay for a few days. Is that considered child abuse?

[Cinnabar]

Ruth thanks for your thanks but let's stay on track. We're discussing:

"Possible Causes for Epilepsy and Seizures."

The title from the article I found is:

Death, Child Abuse, and Adverse Neurological Outcome of Infants after an Apparent Life-Threatening Event

You post:

They saw me have seizures and have to be rushed to the hospital several times, where I had to stay for a few days. Is that considered child abuse?

The answer is NO. You did not cause child abuse. You were just sick.

Please read my post again so you can understand what I'm talking about. If you have any questions related to the article or anything I had to say just ask away! Just stay on topic, please.

[Ruth]

Thank you for putting me back on track. Sometimes, I go off and derail.

[Cinnabar]

That's putting it very cleverly! Good use of wording. No problem at all. We all get off track sometimes. Nothing but peace tonight!

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

I just posted a thread on child abuse if you want to talk about it...

[Cinnabar]

Where is the thread?
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Possible Causes for Epilepsy and Seizures

To reiterate your title for this thread. I don't want members to get the idea that this thread is about yanking their kid by the arm and whether it's right or wrong. The objective in this thread is to discuss how abuse figures in with other factors in causing Epilepsy. Members, please read Phylis' introduction. Too many threads have been hijacked lately. Thank you.

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

In the library and on my website: www.epilepsytalk.com

[Cinnabar]

Will check it out!

[Cinnabar]

Phylis, I took a look and commented. The subject certainly does deserve its own thread. Thank you for offering such very important information.

[droolmonster]

Your post was interesting. I myself have idiopathic epilepsy that is refractory to normally prescribed anti-epileptic drug's. The word idiopathic actually means that doctors are clueless as to why the seizures are happening. I think the cause is on the microscopic level, a molecule that is supposed to regulate neural interactions that isn't working correctly or something. There really are modulaters.

[Ruth]

Hi DroolMonster, may I please have a link?

[Ruth]

I am having problems with severe tremors right now. It dawned on me that I was tired this morning.

I had 2 cups of coffee. Caffeine is a cause for triggers for my seizures. I should have known better. No more coffee. My neurologist increased my medicine, therefore the tiredness.

[occb]

One of the things you've missed on your list is genetic, which is less common but does happen. The one I'm thinking about specifically is ADNFLE -- Autosomal Dominant Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy http://professionals.epilepsy.com/page/ADNFLE.html

Apparently, in families where this genetic mutation happens, some members may barely be affected at all, and others will be greatly affected by it even with daytime seizures. Like with many frontal lobe epilepsies, it's often misdiagnosed as other psychiatric or medical disorders.

I've been doing an awful lot of reading on this, because my partner experiences some classic signs of this, and other members of his family do as well. Although he's had some pretty bad head injuries through his life that probably have aggravated and changed his signs.

[Cinnabar]

occb, I'm making a note to go into your link.

[Ruth]

Mine is genetic. My father, sister and I have epilepsy. It goes a long ways back in my father's family.

I am going to have to look up your link.