WHAT IS EPILEPSY?
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that makes a person prone to having seizures. Nerve cells in the brain are constantly sending electrical signals to each other. When the normal process is interrupted – or when the signals suddenly fire at the same time – it can cause a seizure, resulting in a sudden change in consciousness, movement, or sensation.
If your child has had one seizure, it doesn't mean that he has epilepsy. If he's had more than one seizure without any known, acute cause (such as hypoglycemia, an electrolyte imbalance, a high fever, or meningitis), then he may be diagnosed as epileptic.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF SEIZURES IN BABIES?
The following are some of the signs:
- Febrile Seizures: Your baby may roll her eyes, and her limbs may either stiffen or twitch and jerk. Up to 4 out of every 100 children, age 6 months to 5 years have one of these seizures, which are triggered by high fevers, usually above 102°.
- Infantile Spasms: This rare type of seizure occurs during an infant's first year (typically between 4 and 8 months). Your baby may bend forward or arch her back as her arms and legs stiffen. These spasms tend to occur when a child is waking up or going to sleep, or after a feeding. Infants can have hundreds of these seizures a day.
- Focal Seizures: Your baby may sweat, vomit, become pale, and experience spasms or rigidity in one muscle group, such as fingers, arms, or legs. You may also observe gagging, lip-smacking, screaming, crying, and loss of consciousness.
- Absence (Petit Mal) Seizures: Your baby appears to be staring into space or daydreaming. She may blink rapidly or appear to be chewing. These episodes typically last less than 30 seconds and may occur several times a day.
- Atonic (Drop Attack) Seizures: Your baby experiences a sudden loss of muscle tone that makes her go limp and unresponsive. Her head may drop suddenly, or if she is crawling or walking she might fall to the floor.
- Tonic Seizures: Parts of your baby's body (arms, legs) or her entire body suddenly stiffen.
- Myoclonic Seizures: A group of muscles, usually in the baby's neck, shoulders, or upper arms, starts to jerk. These seizures usually occur in clusters, several times a day and several days in a row.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BABY HAS A SEIZURE?
It can be frightening to watch your baby in the grips of a seizure. The most important thing you can do is make sure she is protected from injuries. Move away hard objects (toys, furniture) and roll her onto her side to help prevent choking in case she vomits. Do not try to snap her out of it or place anything in her mouth.
If your baby is prone to seizures, your doctor may order a diagnostic test, such as an electroencephalogram (EEG), which traces the electrical waves of the brain, or a brain-imaging test, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, to determine a cause.
So, if you think your baby is having seizures then contact KIMS pediatrician.
WHY KIMS?
Epilepsy requires aggressive, integrated care. Experts at KIMS, one of the best epilepsy clinics in Hyderabad, which include the best epilepsy doctors in Hyderabad and neurosurgeons working closely with a coordinated team of paediatric specialists, provides access to advanced medications and innovative dietary and surgical therapies. This makes us one of the best paediatric epilepsy specialist hospitals in Hyderabad.