I'm so new to this...does this sound like seizure to you?

[Cubster]

We've had three episodes like this since September. All three have involved a stint of what appears to be loss of consciousness and a time of unresponsiveness. followed by a deep sleep as though he's drugged. When it happened in September he collapses with eyes rolling back twice within 10 minutes that day.

Tuesday Gideon came to my bedroom and told me his head hurt. About 20 minutes later he was SCREAMING, holding his head and refusing to open his eyes. He gets migraines often but they're not like this. I carried him into his room, put him on his bed and started to change him from his PJ's. He continues to scream as though his hand were in a blender. It was horrible. Suddenly it stopped. He was silent and still, arched his back then the froth of mucus came oozing from his mouth. I cleaned his mouth and kept him on his side so he wouldn't choke and waited. He took in a deep breath and coughed a bit and was still and silent and unresponsive. This lasted about 2 minutes and then the screaming started again. He screamed for another 5 or 10 minutes refusing to open his eyes because of the pain, then passed out cold. Slightly responsive but as though he was sedated. At some point during all of this he peed himself. We took him in to emerg. and they said seizure and sent us home with a script. No discussion just take this. Have a great day. We have a follow up with his neurologist but she's not one for giving explanations...or talking really, but she's the only Ped neurologist in the city.

My gut says seizure but it doesn't sound like anything I've read. He wasn't rigid or thrashing or even twitching for that matter. He was either screaming like I've never heard anyone who hadn't just had some serious damage done to them would scream or he was just still, frothing, and arching his back. I don't think the rest of him went ridged when he did that. I can't remember.

I second guess myself and what I saw thinking maybe I've over dramatizing things because I'm just so afraid....and what's with the screaming?!?!

Any thoughts??

Colleen

[jgbmartin]

Hi, welcome to our group.
Seizures come in lots of different types, and even those can vary from person to person. I have simple and complex partials. My eyes do roll into back of my head. I am still walking, talking, but have no memory of the event.
I would say it is seizures and I would either follow up with the neurologist or get a new doctor

[Ann T.]

Hi, Colleen:-)

Welcome to CWE. Seizures can take many shapes, sizes, & forms. What you've described definitely sounds like seizures. Although I'm not an expert, like many at this site, I've met seizures of all kinds. In fact, I recall when I was 9 y.o., I had the same screaming migraines your son has endured. I was checked for meningitis, which involved a spinal tap. Anyway, I'd follow your motherly gut feeling. And, I'd check with CWE members or visitors who live in Ontario if they can recommmend or know of any other pediatric neurologists. Take Care!

[RobinN]

I am not a huge fan of conventional medicine these days after the run around that we have received with this disorder. I would however be talking to specialists, if he is is so much pain that he is screaming like that.

I have suffered from migraines, and screaming was the last thing I wanted to do. Peace and quiet, with a dark room is where I wanted to spend my day. In my opinion your son needs immediate MRI, MRA, and anything else they need to figure out where the pain is originating from. Push hard... to get your child some answers.

[Nakamova]

Sometimes seizures, especially frontal lobe ones, disrupt an emotional center in the brain, and the result is intense screaming -- but it's involuntary, not a sign of fear or pain. I hope that's the case for your son...

[Cubster]

Well, he definitely appears to have pain. He screams, "It hurts! It hurts!" while holding his forehead. I'm convinced whatever is going on is in the front.

We're to see the neurologist on Tuesday and we're insisting on an MRI. We asked for one to be done while were in emerg but they didn't oblige. There's quite a wait list here in South Western Ontario.