Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

Answers,

Night seizures can be caused by breathing abnormalities. If you can, spend a night watching him sleep. Watch and listen to him breath. Head and neck trauma can interfere with the autonomic nervous system as it regulates breathing. I have this problem. I have mini-seizures if I stop breathing.

I take gabapentin (Neurontin) to help my body relax. It helps me stay in the same sleep position. Otherwise, I develop body and leg jerks just as I fall off to sleep. These movements will cause me to change sleeping position. If I roll to my side, especially my left side, I will stop breathing and have seizures.

I have a friend from long ago who had serious seizures when he slept. This went on for decades. He had been on Dilantin (phenytoin) during this time. He was tested and finally put on a CPAP machine. He was able to go off his seizure meds.

My sleep apnea is central. The nerves stop telling my diaphragm to inhale a breath. Eventually, I will restart breathing but not until I have seizure like and other abnormal events. I will be a zombie the next day due to the lack of proper REM sleep.

There are a variety of ways to treat sleep breathing problems.

My first serious concussion was when I was ten, back in 1965. My personality changed drastically. I did not understand why I lost most of my friends. I became quite the loner. My grades went up and down but I still maintained A's and B's. Mostly A's during the up and more B's during the down. I also had absence seizures. The teachers called it day dreaming but now I understand it as absence (petit mal back then) seizures.

I recovered and did quite well during 7th, 8th and 9th then took a serious dip in 10th when soccer ball heading caused a serious decompensation (relapse)

I hope your son does not have the same struggles.

My best to you and him.