Epilepsy in children and infants; From symptoms to treatment

Epilepsy in children is one of the diseases that worries parents and people usually do not have enough and correct information in this field. Epilepsy in your child should be diagnosed quickly and before the disease progresses and treated seriously. In this article from the website of Dr. Ali Faraji; Pediatrician and newborn specialist will talk fully about this disease and how to deal with it. Do children also suffer from epilepsy? Epilepsy also happens to children because it is a disorder of the central nervous system that causes brain damage and has nothing to do with age. Involvement in epilepsy in children is different for each one and it may be associated with different shoulders, but in any case, many nerve cells are destroyed if this disease is not taken care of and continuous seizures occur for the child. Causes of epilepsy in children The exact causes of children suffering from epilepsy have not yet been precisely determined, but in general, there are factors that have an impact in this field, which can be specifically mentioned: - Some types of epilepsy are inherited and most likely genetics plays a role in these cases for children. Some congenital problems can increase the risk of epilepsy in children. Congenital factors such as brain disorders, infectious agents during pregnancy, heart surgeries or metabolic disorders can increase the probability of this disease in children. - Damage to the child's brain can be an important factor in causing this disease. This injury may be caused by accidents such as head trauma, traffic accidents, infections, cerebral palsy, etc. Some environmental factors, such as alcohol or drug use by the mother during pregnancy, increase the risk of epilepsy in children. - One of the other influencing factors of epilepsy in children is the lack of oxygen at the time of the child's birth. What are the signs and symptoms of epilepsy in children? Epilepsy in children has different signs and symptoms according to the type of seizure and the severity of the disease, which include: - Sudden staring - Rapid blinking - Breathing disorder - shortness of breath - Loss of urine and stool control - Fainting - Loss of balance and the child falling headfirst - Failure to pay attention to the surroundings and loss of senses - Feeling of confusion and imbalance - During a seizure in a child, the color of the lips and face changes and the lips become bruised Numbness and sleepy feeling after a seizure ### ↫ Seizure symptoms in children from the words of Dr. Ali Faraji: Types of epilepsy in children Epilepsy in children has different types and there is not only one specific type. In the following, we will refer to some different models of this dangerous disease in children. ### 1- Imperceptible seizures in children In this type of epilepsy, the child's or infant's breathing is disturbed and changes occur in the child's face and lips. Among its other symptoms are sudden contractions and cramps in the muscles, and short and sudden tremors occur in the child's body. Also, the level of alertness and response to external stimuli decreases in children. ### 2- Epileptic clonic seizure In this type of epilepsy, the child has cramps in the muscles of the hands and feet, and in some cases, it causes a sudden movement in the hands and feet. ### 3- Epilepsy myoclonic seizure In this type of neurological disorder, the upper body of the baby or child suddenly leans forward. These types of seizures are short-term and the number of attacks is high and close to each other with a short interval. ### 5- Epileptic focal seizure This type of epilepsy in children causes the child to suddenly stop doing their activities unconsciously and stare at one side and lose their awareness of the environment. In some cases, this cessation and lack of consciousness is accompanied by tremors. ### 6- Infantile spasm of epilepsy In this type of epilepsy, the baby's knees are raised and the hands are thrown outward, and the duration of this event lasts about 2 to 3 seconds each time. Methods of diagnosis of epilepsy in children Parents should refer to the best pediatric specialist after observing any abnormal and repeated symptoms in their child so that the necessary examinations can be done and treatment measures can be carried out on time. Diagnosing this disease in adults is much easier than in children because at a young age, the child cannot help the doctor to fix the problem more easily. For example, absent seizures are difficult to detect. After clinical examinations and questions for accurate diagnosis, he performs some diagnostic tests on the child, which we describe below: - Blood and urine test to diagnose the child's epilepsy - CT scan - MRI - Electroencephalogram test - Examining the child's face and muscle movements Epilepsy risk factors in children In epilepsy in children, there are some stimulating and dangerous factors that have a great impact on the course of the child's disease. Stress and anxiety are risk factors for aggravating this disease and causing seizures, because when a child with epilepsy is in an uneasy and stressful situation, he may have more frequent seizures. Ways to treat epilepsy in children Epilepsy treatment in children is generally determined and followed up by a multi-specialty team, including neurologists, neuropsychiatrists, and dietologists, so that a correct diagnosis is made and timely treatment is applied to the child. Among the methods of treating epilepsy in children, the following can be mentioned, which will be different for each person according to the severity of the disease and the physical and mental conditions of the child: ### ↲ drug therapy The use of anti-epileptic drugs such as phenobarbital, valproate, lamotrigine and levothyroxine to reduce the number and severity of epileptic attacks will be prescribed by a specialist doctor, the type of drug and its dose will be determined after a detailed examination and must be taken according to a detailed treatment plan. ### ↲ ketogenic diet Consuming a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fats and proteins, which produces beta-hydroxybutyrate and has a positive effect on reducing epileptic attacks, will have a significant impact on the patient's treatment process. ### ↲ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) devices This therapeutic trick is performed by using small electrodes that are attached to certain areas of the brain and electrically regulate brain activity. ### ↲ Surgery In cases where drugs and other treatment methods are not effective, surgery to remove the part of the brain that is the source of the attacks is included in the person's treatment plan. ### ↲ Psychological and social support Providing counseling and psychological support to children and their families, education about epilepsy and seizure management, improving the quality of life and facilitating social relations are among the most important stages of timely diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children. Differences in epilepsy in children and adults - Epilepsy in adults causes brain dysfunction, but epilepsy in children is because they are at a growing age and their brains are more flexible. - These epileptic attacks cause severe and irreversible damage to the brain, which may eventually cause mental and depression problems for the child in addition to brain and movement problems. Of course, it goes without saying that epilepsy in children can be treated more easily than in adults, and the results of surgeries will be better. Tricks to deal with and prevent the dangers of epilepsy in children Epilepsy in children has many treatment methods, but there are some methods that are known as tricks to deal with this disease. As mentioned earlier; Parents should note that they must use anti-epileptic drugs to reduce the frequency of seizures and must use these drugs at the prescribed time and on time. But in addition to this treatment method, a special low-carb diet is prescribed for the patient, which must be followed. In order to be able to deal well with epilepsy in your child, you must pay attention to prepare very low fat foods for him to reduce the frequency of attacks. Stimulation of the vagus nerve is another widely used treatment method to deal with epilepsy, which greatly reduces the number of attacks. In general, there are methods that are also effective as adjuvant therapy techniques to improve the symptoms of this disease.