I had a phone call from my daughters teacher today to tell me she'd had an absence seizure in class. She was quite concerned as it seemed to go on for a while and she could not get a response from Izzy who had been in the middle of a presentation. It's strange because there have been a few times recently when she seemed really odd but it was so fleeting I wondered if I'd imagined it. I took her to the doctors thinking they'd just say "Oh, don't worry. Just keep an eye on her and if it happens again come back" but they took it quite seriously. She has been referred to hospital for tests but she seemed to think the likely hood was quite high that she had a form of epilepsy.
I'm trying not to get really panicky about it but TBH I'm not succeeding. The doctor also told me to make sure she is supervised at all times where she could injure herself... not to cycle, swim, ride a horse etc alone. I'm not sure if I should let her walk to the shops on her own. What happens if it happens again while she's crossing a road?
Does anyone have any experience with something like this?
Lucy x
Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut - Ernest Hemingway
Evening Lucy, A bloke at work had something similar. It was like some one pushed a pause button, he would just stop in the middle of what he was saying and then carry on where he left off, with no idea there had been any pause. He thought we were winding him up. We eventually convinced him by the person he was talking to leaving and someone else taking their place. After a few times of doing this he was convinced. He said the first couple of times we did it that it was like the person changed instantly and he tried convincing himself he was imagining things. The upshot was that he had a very mild form of epilepsy which was easily treated. As he was a pursuit driver it was a good thing it never happened while he was driving. Dom
I believe that most children grow out of this. I understand your concerns and worries. About 2 yrs ago,My son started having what appeared to me as classic epileptic fits( 16yrs old at the time) we have been for loads of tests, but so far, they have ruled it as negative, without being able to explain, why these happen ( only when very emotionally stressed, and/or angry) He has given up on going for more tests ( and I cant convince him to go).
Whatever happens , keep looking for answers, get 2nd opinions, as they sometimes put unexplained things into the mild epilepsy bracket, and very hard to getremved from the diagnosis. ( my husband had restless leg syndrome all his life, and ( before it was actually recognised as a condition) they wanted to call it epilepsy... which would have been disastrous for someone who´d always done driving jobs!
Mad Chick wrote:Does anyone have any experience with something like this?
My daughter, also called Izzy (although she insists on Isi) also had moments of 'absence'. We went through all the tests and nothing abnormal was detected. It was put down to hormones. Is your Izzy of the age to be hormonally unbalanced? Actually that is a daft statement, all members of the female persuasion are likely to suffer in such ways.
What I am trying to say, is don't worry, it may be something that needs treating or it could be nothing.
My younger son had an EEG when he was almost 3 after a brief seizure - not an 'absence' seizure, just an unexplained one with some odd behaviour beforehand. My eldest daughter suffer(ed) from febrile convulsions, and just as we start to think she has grown out of them, her temperature will rocket and she will start to seem 'on the edge'. Because of her history, the dr was very concerned about Edward's fit (which had nothing to do with temperature). EEG was normal, we were told that it was most likely due to something going on in the very complex, rapidly growing brain of a child - a set of circumstances that triggered a minor 'shut-down'. Basically, nothing to worry about unless it happened again. The consultant said that anyone who has had a fit once in their life, for whatever reason, is more likely to have a recurrence than someone who has never had a fit, but that as time goes on, the likelihood of recurrence gets smaller. Not sure if any of that helps? The eeg was fine (not sure if Izzy will have one?) - gel put on the head, sensors attached (Edward referred to them as hair slides lol ) and then sit down while they put lights etc on the screen - I was able to stay with him & read to him/play with him for the whole time - lasted about half an hour.
Obviously our situation is different, but I guess all of the above applies.
She is nearly 12 and very definitely hormonal - there seem to be major changes afoot lately (all of which she is totally embarrassed about!) It would be great if it was just a case of too many hormones Sadly, as she was mid sentence at the time, giving a presentation in music, it was totally obvious to all her class mates that she had gone a bit funny. That to her is the worse bit and we've had lots of tears this evening as she thinks she's made a show of herself
Yes, one of the tests mentioned was an EEG. My son who is 14 thinks its hysterical. He doesn't think they'll be able to locate her brain
Lucy x
Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut - Ernest Hemingway
Hi m.c. Silly to say dont worry cos of course you will!!.My daughter was tested for epilepsy amoungst other things after having a seizure after a fall,Nothing to worry about,non are invasive and all will be done bearing in mind your daughters age ie; will be explained to her so she feels in control For your own peace of mind,and hers ,i would for the time being supervise her more closely when doing things like walking to school cos at times like that it could be dangerous.My daughter has a condition called Reflex Anoxic Seizures which if you google it sounds horrendous and scared her lots .She wears a medic alert bracelet,which gives me more peace of mind and means appropriate treatment can be given after a trigger incident which can be as minor as a bumped knee,or jumping into a cold swimming pool ,or at one time a friend making her jump!!! It is natural to be worried and in your daughters case worried about looking foolish.Explain to her that she will be treated with respect and sympathy at shcool and ensure it is so!! Take each day as it comes,Keep a diary of moods and other factors that may be useful(periods etc) and keep positive its hopefully just a glitch!!!
If you always do what you always do ,you will always get what you have always got!
If she is 12 she may not want Mum to take her to school. Discuss it with her and work out strategies between you, which routes involve busy roads that would be unsafe if she was alone.Has she got a good friend she can talk to about it, who will stick around so that you don't need to all the time, and explain to the classmates what petit mal means.
Lucy this sounds exactly what my eldest had at around 3 years old - he kind of switched off from what was going on around him and went stary, then laughed a bit hysterically. After and EEG and a scan he was diagnosed with 'petit mal' seisures, a mild form of epilepsy (on my 5th wedding anniversary). He was on medication for 2 to 3 years and gradually weened off it (Carbamazapol not sure if that is spelled right). Once he came off the meds we watched him very carefully but he never had any problems since. He is 22 now and absolutely fine.
If this is what Izzy has there is a good chance she will follow a similar pattern, try not to worry too much, that is hard I know. Thinking of you
I also have absences - petit mal epilepsy. Started when I was pregnant 22 years ago. Lost my driving licence for 12 months but eventually started to drive again,and it is now controlled by medication. Chances are your daughter will grow out of it. It is something youl learn to live with and become aware of the signs, sometimes there is a trigger - mine is after I have eaten! She will be very sleepy/tired for a short time after.
Izzy had her hospital appointment this afternoon. We've been trying to wind her up for days that they'll have to shave all her hair off for when they cut the top of her skull off (how else will they be able to see if she has a brain?). She has had none of it and thinks we're the ones that need our heads testing!
Anyway... the consultant did a few physical tests, checked her eyes, made her hyperventilate etc. Then he decided that since she's only had the one, nothing before or since, that he wants to leave the scans etc for now and just see how we go. He says it sounded like a very typical but prolonged absence seizure but it could have been caused by any number of things - nerves, hormones, tiredness. As she is now a patient of his, if it does happen again, we can go straight back to him for the scans. But he thinks it was probably a one off and will never happen again
Phew
Lucy x
Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut - Ernest Hemingway
That's good news. If it does happen again at least you have more of an insight into it now and the support of the consultant there for you, but fingers crossed, it won't.
It is just a case of getting the meds right.
Sadly, as she was mid sentence at the time, giving a presentation in music, it was totally obvious to all her class mates that she had gone a bit funny. That to her is the worse bit and we've had lots of tears this evening as she thinks she's made a show of herself 
