I am new to the forum, but hope there are some parents that can help me. I have a now 3 year old daughter who has experienced some seizures. Her first seizure was prolonged and happened July 2012. Her second seizure occurred two weeks ago following a fall that caused her to hit her head. She had an EEG yesterday, and unlike the one following her first seizure, it was completely normal. However, since she has now had two episodes, her neurologist is recommending she start taking Keppra. I am not anti-drug, but I'm not convinced that drug therapy is necessary due to the infrequency of her seizures, and the now normal EEG. Has anyone else been in this situation that can give me some advice?
Don't know what to do
- Thread starter amybel
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chmmr
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Hi Amy, I also have a 3 year old daughter that has infrequent seizures, although we have never had a prolonged seizure. (she has complex partials). Is your daughter having tonic clonic seizures? Or some other kind?
The tricky thing about EEG's is that having a normal EEG doesn't mean a person doesn't have seizures/epilepsy, it just means that at that moment they weren't having any abnormal spikes. Many people that have epilepsy have a normal EEG.
With little kids, the tricky thing is that they could be having seizures that you aren't seeing because they aren't able to identify things that are abnormal (deja vu feelings, tingling etc etc) that could be partial seizures, or complex partials. So i guess the long and short answer is to go with your gut. Did you talk to the doctor about the option of waiting for a bit to see if she has another unrelated to hitting her head? Or was this seizure a prolonged one as well?
The tricky thing about EEG's is that having a normal EEG doesn't mean a person doesn't have seizures/epilepsy, it just means that at that moment they weren't having any abnormal spikes. Many people that have epilepsy have a normal EEG.
With little kids, the tricky thing is that they could be having seizures that you aren't seeing because they aren't able to identify things that are abnormal (deja vu feelings, tingling etc etc) that could be partial seizures, or complex partials. So i guess the long and short answer is to go with your gut. Did you talk to the doctor about the option of waiting for a bit to see if she has another unrelated to hitting her head? Or was this seizure a prolonged one as well?
I'm not a parent, but I can offer a few thoughts.
When you say prolonged, how long do you mean? Was the first seizure triggered by anything (a fall, illness, high fever)? And as chmmr asks, what type of seizures were they? Is there a history of childhood epilepsy in the family? Does your daughter have any disease or syndrome that is associated with the development of seizures? Presumably the doctor is taking all these factors (and of course many others I can't think of) into consideration when making his recommendation about starting medication.
Whether you decide to forgo medication or to start medication at this point, for at least the next little while ensure your daughter is safe: at night (if she falls out of bed she won't hurt herself), and during the day (constant adult supervision, no playing near stairs, and other things you might do for a much younger child). Watch her behaviour carefully to look for signs of more subtle seizures, like sudden daydreaming and/or eye fluttering episodes, limb jerking, seizures at night (you can set up a video camera), and sudden stiffening episodes.
When you say prolonged, how long do you mean? Was the first seizure triggered by anything (a fall, illness, high fever)? And as chmmr asks, what type of seizures were they? Is there a history of childhood epilepsy in the family? Does your daughter have any disease or syndrome that is associated with the development of seizures? Presumably the doctor is taking all these factors (and of course many others I can't think of) into consideration when making his recommendation about starting medication.
Whether you decide to forgo medication or to start medication at this point, for at least the next little while ensure your daughter is safe: at night (if she falls out of bed she won't hurt herself), and during the day (constant adult supervision, no playing near stairs, and other things you might do for a much younger child). Watch her behaviour carefully to look for signs of more subtle seizures, like sudden daydreaming and/or eye fluttering episodes, limb jerking, seizures at night (you can set up a video camera), and sudden stiffening episodes.