Convulsions and seizures

[Tulp]

Couple of weeks ago, my cousin had a scary experience with her little girl 3. Thought this information she shared may be useful to parents. She's consented to having me post this on the forum.

"Being mothers of little kids I thought i would share this experience with you. Last Monday E, my youngest started having diarrhea. It became progressively worse but she hardly developed a fever. Having suffered from dysentery in India and Nepal, I suspected it was more than just food poisoning or a virus. Anyway on Thursday night, out of the blue she had a seizure. She literally lost conciousness in my arms for almost 2 minutes.It happened again two hours later.Of course we rushed her to the emergency room at a nearby hospital.She had another episode in the hospital. She finally received antibiotics because the docters suspect a baterial infection, possibly shingella.Anyway she's fine and up and about. She was discharged on Sunday.

She's had an EEG and will have to have an MRI later.
I've learnt a lot since our little visit to the hospital. Here is what I know now and you guys should know too.

1. There are two kinds of seizures, one with a lot of shaking and one without.

2.When you suspect your child is having a convulsion or seizure, place her on her side.Make sure she is breathing, clear her air passages.

3. Time the convulsion.

4.Watch for stiffness of the body, take note of the position of her eyes.Take note if her body returns to complete relaxed state. Take note if her eyes role upwards and backwards.

5.Seizure activity usually happens around bedtime or upon waking up.

Kids can have febrile convulsions during the onset of a fever.E did not have a febrile convulsion, she had a seizure.So just be alert.

I am sure others wil add to the list of points i just made. I am not an expert but as a mother my instincts told me what to do, yet I couldn't answer the questions the doctors were asking me in the hospital.
I just never want what i went through to happen to anyone else.My kids are generally very healthy so this was a total shock. i believe that on a subconcious level E has been deeply affected. She seems to have grown up overnight. She's less energetic and more contemplative. Well I thanks the powers that be that she is safe and sound."

A friend of mine sent an email that could add to our general knowledge. I've quoted her.

"H. has a condition where she passes out. The first time it happened she was out for nearly two minutes and we thought she was dead. Called an ambulance, rushed to emergency, etc. She has been diagnosed with infant breath holding syndrome. There are two types: one where kids go into a fit, the other where they go white and pass out, it's like they are dead. Then they come to and everything is fine, although it's a horrendous experience. It can happen anytime she gets a fright or really upset, but doesn't always happen. It can last till she's four."

If anyone has any info.,points etc etc you would like to add...it would be most appreciated.

[jaysmommy]

Hi,

I thought i would post as my little boy has just been diagnised with Reflex anoxic Seizures which is the 'going white and looking dead' kind of seizure you mentioned in your post, similar to the breath holding but this is triggered by a shock. There's a thread on it in serious health issues.
I just wanted to say that i also couldn't remember a thing about what had happened when i tried to tell the hospital staff, i was sure his eyes had rolled but then doubted myself, i was sure he'd been a bit jerky but then thought maybe he was floppy not jerky? i guess from the point i saw him fall to the floor and go white i didn't actually take much in after that so was very confused about what he had or hadn't done. Luckily his second one happened in hospital so the docs saw for themselves what happened.

I also think it's affected him more than i first realised, he coped really well at the time and didn't even cry during 2 days in hospital having all sorts done to him. he's a very independent boy and not ver clingy but he's reverted to some 'baby' type behaviour since being in hospital, like wanting to be carried when i get him out of the bath (which he stopped doing when he was about 3 years old, he's 4 now) and he's been very very snuggly and very slightly clingy. not sure whether it's from being ill, being in hospital or whether he's sensed the seriousness of it from what he's heard and seen going on around him.

Just thought i'd sgare all that with you, and thanks for sharing you info and pointers.

best wishes, Sarah

[suemp]

both my boys have/had seizures so i will try think wat i can add.
ds1 used to get febrile convulsions. most kids will only have one and often they arent noticed as they can happen in their sleep.
about 1 in 25 kids will have one. if its a standard febrile convulsion they say you dont need hospital treatment. but if its prolonged or they have more than one in an hour take to a and e. my son had about 10 all up (that i saw) before he grew out of it

ds2 has had febrile seizure + unrelated seizure with an abnormal eeg.awaiting mri
all that happens to him is he cant focus, goes stiff and his jaw shakes, but he reamains conscuious. the first one went for 20 mins and the only thing that brought him out of it was the cold stethescope the ambo used.it must of shocked him out of it. he went blue so i was told to tilt the head back and blow on him till ambo got there.