Can child have absence seizures plus another type?
 

My son Anthony (turning 7 on Sunday) has been having what appears to be absence seizures (unresponsive staring spells) and is having an EEG on Wednesday. He had an EEG back about 3 years ago when he started seeing his neurologist, that one came back normal but was quite a long time ago. The staring spells have only been ocuring for the last month or so as far as we know. He sees a neurologist already because he has Tourette and ADHD.

Overnight last night, he had a nightmare and I let him come into bed with us. I woke up at 5:30am to him making noises... like lip smacking or swallowing, not sure now exactly. I thought maybe he was going to throw up and asked him repeatedly if he had a tummy ache. He did not answer. It went on for longer than his absence seizures/staring spells and then seemed very confused. He still wasn't talking, just making sorta grunting noises. When he started talking it was just one word type yes/no and even then didnt make sense.

Then he thought he was going to throw up for a little while afterwards but didn't and then was acting perfectly fine (from say 6:30am- about an hour after the incident). If he is having absence seizures (will find out via EEG),is it possible/common to also have a different type of seizure such as complex partial? I read that they require different medications, so doesn't seem likely that a child would have both types...?

Thanks so much for any help you can offer,

Dawn (Anthony's mom)

wow. I just went back and looked at my old posts from almost 3 years ago and saw that his EEG even back then was *borderline* hmmm. "She said she called it borderline because of some activity right before he fell asleep but thinks it is probably normal. Something about Vertex activity that is normal during sleep, this was right before he fell asleep"

It isn't entirely relevant because what he was doing back then was presumably tics... this was different from what he has been doing the last few weeks. But I wonder if the borderline EEG back then meant anything.

Hi Dawn,
I started having absence sz. when I was 10 yrs. old and 2 yrs. later I started to have complex partial sz. where I would start to see colors flashing back and forth in my eyes, hear one word repeated over and over again, smack my lips and wander around the house. When the sz. first started I was concsious when I saw colors and would hear one word repeated over and over again after that I would blank out and when I came out of the sz. I would find myself in another room and not remember how I got there or what happened.
An E.E.G. should show if there's any activity or brain damage causing the sz. I do know that sometimes a person who is A.D.H.D. or A.D.D. can have sz. My best advice to you is to cut your son back on sweets, carbohydrates, and to much protein this is known as the ketogenic diet. which will reduce and in many cases stop sz. Also be sure to get a calendar and write down what time your son had any sz. along with a discription of the sz. By doing this you and the neuro may see a pattern as to what days of the month and what time of the day/night your son is more likely to have any sz. Take note if your son is sick, or if there's a low pressure in the weather because that can trigger sz. for some people just like certain colors, sounds and keep him away from cell phones and nutra sweet because it has been proven that the use of cell phones and nutra sweet cause more electrical activity in the brain which can trigger sz. You might want to try putting your son on vitamin B 12 it has helped reduce my sz. a lot. Here's wishing you and your son only the best and May God Bless You Both!

Sue

Thanks so much for the advice! :)

He is already on GFCF diet, so the idea of restricting him further isn't all that appealing, but will try if it would help him.

Last night I started writing down dates/descriptions, everything I could remember from when they were first noticeable until now. I'm going to bring it to his EEG tomorrow.

please dont take this as an insult.....are you sure that he is gluten free?? if he eats ANY processed foods there is the potential for cross cont. and the contents of any processed food can change at any time, without notice. you need to check the label EVERY time you buy it.....and it is in many things, being label 'wheat free" is not enough....good luck

He has been gluten free for 3 years. Sometimes there is a chance of CC, like I figure if you eat at say McDonalds, who knows for 100% if the hamburger patty is completely safe, but say he is 99% GF then.

He had his EEG today. My mother and I both think that the tech hinted to us that she saw something. So now we wait... probably til early next week...

looks like this board isn't very busy anymore (it seemed pretty busy when I was last here back in July 2007 when my son had his last EEG- it was borderline).

Anyway, thought I'd let you know that the neurology receptionist called and said "his EEG did show abnormalities and the dr wants him to come in tomorrow". I already knew what she would say though.

Now I just hope that his cardiac issues don't get in the way of his medication options.

Dawn

Is your son being treated by an epileptologist or a neurologist? They are not the same thing, and he needs the Epileptologist ( more education in epilepsy on top of the neurology residency). Did a doc prescribe the diet he is on now? If he is still having seizures, and it sounds like they are increasing in severity or changing which means more area in the brain is becomeing affected, he will need the Epileptologist at a Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. That is not just a title, so look for the Certification. He is young and has a chance at a long happy life, but the right doc to point him in that direction. No need to wait. His PCP can refer you to a Comprehensive Epilepsy Center with a Pediatric Epileptologist. Sounds like he may be having Complex Partials ( lip smacking, gastric rising, nonpurposeful movement) and disorientation (postictal)afterward. Those staing spells could have been Simple Partials, and it has gotten worse so that consciousness is affected. My epilepsy did the same. Many of us have this type. Please get him to a Compehensive Epilepsy Center. It makes all the difference in one's life. Tattoo

Hi Dawn,
I'm glad to hear that the e.e.g. showed something. Tattoo is correct in my opinion your son would be much better off seeing an Epileptologist at an Epilepsy Center compared to a neurologist. I saw many neurologist when I was younger but when I had brain surgery done that's when I started to go to an Epilepsy Center and saw an Epileptologist. I take fewer sz. meds (AED's) and have gotten the most help. You can usually find an Epileptologist at a University Medical Center. Here's wishing you and your son only the best and May God Bless You Both!
Check out your private messages.
Sue

hmm, I'll have to check into that. I live in the boonies, so I'm not sure where I would find one!

He does also have to see a neurologist for other reasons (Tourette, ADHD) so would've been nice to have it all taken care of by one person. Do neurologists typuically treat a lot of epilepsy patients?

I looked up Pediatric Epileptologists and saw there is one at Boston Children's Hospital. I don't look forward to driving in the city, but it is do-able adn I'll do it if it is better for Anthony.

My hubby asks: why not see if the neurologist can do something that works first though? If she gives him meds, and they go away, then maybe there is no reason to see someone else, know what I mean?

Otherwise, is it possible to see the epileptologist like once a year? and still see the neurologist every 3 months like we are now? And would it be insulting to the neurologist to bring that up? I'm not sure.

Thanks!

The doctor your son needs for his seizures only treats epilepsy. Neuroogists treat all things neuro related and ADHD and Touretts are outside a general neurologists training. ADHD and Tourettes are also specalties. You might be able to find those specialists for each one at the same Major Medical Center, but you cannot get the proper care for your son from a doc who doesn't the the specific training needed. His seizures will worsen if not stopped completely and that brings cognitive decline over time. If they can be stopped, it is the right time to take care of that. There are so man other options available now. Who knows. It could be that the symptoms/signs that gave him a diagnosis of ADHD is really due to the same seizure disorder. Epilepsy affects people differently and is very easily misdiagnosed with bad results for the patient since they don't get the proper care and the illness worses. By the way, the statistics re meds are: Once one med fails to stop the seizures completely, there is less than a 15% chance that any med will ever stop them. That is evidence based. Those other options that could possibly help your son can be found only at a Comprehensive Center. What state are you in ? tattoo

Thanks for the info. We are in Connecticut.

He is going to the neurologist tomorrow morning to talk about his EEG results and what to do next. I am not sure what to say to her tomorrow. Would it be considered insulting to tell her I'd like to see an epileptologist? I am not sure how to handle it/bring it up.

There is no need in mentioning it to her. That was for your information and education only. She may prescribe a med for your son and who knows, it may stop his seizures. Give it a try, but you know there is another route if they don't stop them after a good try. She is not the one to arrange that appt, so do not mention it to her. Go there and listen. Ask lots of questions an write them down if you have to. It is easy to forget during an appt. Describe what is going on, take your seizure calendar, and see what her plan is at this point. Find out diagnosis and type of seizures, but they seem like Partials, both Simple and Complex. There is more that one cause for seizures, so see what she thinks abt a possible cause. In some cases, there is no known cause. Let her do her thing and start a treatment plan, but if the meds do not stop them, you know there is another route out there, so all is not lost. Get PCP to do the referral at that time, not tomorrow. Even if you did end up at an Epileptologist at a Compehensive Center, after they come up with a treament plan that works, many times they refer back to the local neurologist to manage the case. so you will already have her to come back to if it turns out that way. I will check on Comprehensive Centers in your state. Tattoo

I don't need a referral or anything with my insurance, I can call and make an appt myself-- unless the childrens hospital requires one for themselves.

I found where I would go, Boston Children's Hospital. http://www.childrenshospital.org/cli...geS1549P0.html

Thanks for the info :) I'll let you know how tomorrow goes.

It was a long day and Anthony is now sound asleep. I think Anthony made me sprout a few gray hairs- ha! The dr called his EEG "quite impressive". Apparently there is a LOT going on in that head of his. Mostly on the left side.
He had to have blood taken today, which will also need to be done on a
regular basis- fun! He also needs to have an MRI done, but I don't know when yet.

She gave me a rx of Depakote, but said to wait til she hears back from the cardiologist.

Depakote has been approved!! Just have to go in for a follow up EKG with the cardiologist in a couple weeks.

Hi Dawn,
I took Depakote for many yrs. and it worked great I just had to have a lot of blood test done to be sure that the drug didn't affect my liver or lower my platlet level. One side effect from the drug is anorexia a lot of people can either gain or lose a lot of weight. I would eat 3 meals a day along with snacks and I still lost over 70 lbs. in 4 months. Here's wishing Anothony and you only the best. May God Bless You Both!

Sue

Thanks for the info! I hope that for him it is the opposite! He is skin and bones!