Childhood Epilepsy: A Brief But Comprehensive Guide for Parents

childhood epilepsy It refers to a neurological disorder characterized by frequent seizures that begins during childhood. Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, resulting in various symptoms such as convulsions, staring, or loss of consciousness. because of childhood epilepsy These may include genetic factors, brain injury, infection, or developmental disorders. Diagnosis usually involves a thorough medical evaluation, including neurological examination, imaging studies, and electroencephalogram (EEG).
Parents can be overwhelmed when their child has epilepsy. There are 2 main reasons for this:
1) Difficulty understanding seizures
2) Concern about the future of the child.
Let us discuss these issues.
cause of childhood epilepsy
Normally, one part of our brain communicates with another using small electrical currents. Sometimes there is a sudden storm during which these electric currents become disorganized. This event is a seizure.
types of childhood epilepsy
Many types of symptoms arise due to seizures. It depends on the part of the brain affected. Seizures have several different names depending on the symptoms:
1) Absence seizure: The child keeps staring at empty space and becomes unresponsive. Sometimes the eyes may blink during this episode.
2) Myoclonus: This involves sudden jerks, usually in the upper part of the body. If the child is holding a toothbrush or toy, it may fall out of the child’s hand.
3) Focal seizure: An electrical storm occurs in a small part of the brain. In this case, the child has sensations or movements only in one part of the body. For example, only the right hand can turn or move.

4) Generalized convulsions: An electrical storm takes over the entire brain. The whole body starts shaking vigorously. This type of seizure is also known as a generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizure.
5) Atonic seizures: The body’s strength suddenly disappears. This can cause a sudden fall called a “drop attack”.
Apart from these common types, seizures have many other names. For example, if a seizure causes uncontrollable laughing, it is a “galastic seizure.” If a seizure causes crying, it is a “dacrystic seizure” and so on.
To classify seizures, doctors may need MRI, EEG, and sometimes video-EEG monitoring. MRI is a picture of the brain. EEG measures electrical activity in the brain. If EEG is performed with video-recording for 1 day or more, it is called “video-EEG monitoring”.
treatment of childhood epilepsy
More than 30 medications exist to treat seizures. Without knowing the type of seizure, one cannot select the right medicine. For example, a medication called oxcarbazepine is great for focal seizures. But that same medication absence can make seizures worse!
With properly chosen medications, 80% of children become completely free from seizures. But, in about 20% of children, seizures do not stop despite various medications. We call this “therapy-resistant epilepsy.”

There are many life-changing options for such children. Like medications, not all of these treatments are effective for all children.
The doctor has to choose the right treatment very carefully. Please do not take any of these treatments yourself.
1) Steroids: High-dose steroids can reduce EEG abnormalities, improve thinking, and prevent seizures.
2) Removal Epilepsy Surgery: If the electrical storm comes from a small part of the brain, we remove that small part.
Doctors call this “removal surgery” or “resive surgery.” There are many other names for these surgeries. These include “temporal lobectomy” and “focal resection”.
3) Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS): This is a small device about the size of a matchbox. It is placed under the skin of the chest. It calms abnormal brain activity.
Additionally, when it detects a seizure, it sends additional signals to the brain to stop the seizure.
4) Cannabis Extract: Highly pure extract from the Cannabis plant helps prevent seizures. Doctors use it only in selected situations. These include Lennox Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome (DS).
5) Ketogenic diet: This is a special diet. It contains very little carbohydrate. In children with very severe seizures, it may help stop seizures.
In most cases, these advanced treatments stop children from having seizures.
Understanding Childhood Epilepsy
Seizures are a small part of a child’s life. The child’s emotional needs, education and future plans are far more important. We, doctors and parents, need to provide them with this special care.
If the child wants, we should support all his life goals. This includes (if they want!) getting a job, getting married, and having children.
A common misconception is that epilepsy is always hereditary. This is wrong. More than 95% of babies born to parents with epilepsy do not develop epilepsy.
I have had the privilege of seeing many of my patients get married. Mostly working. Many of them have children. None of these children has epilepsy.
History teaches us a lot. Theodore Roosevelt (President of the United States), Julius Caesar (Roman Emperor), and Alexander the Great had seizures.
These people are not famous because they suffered from seizures. They are famous because, like your child and any other person, they were capable of doing great things.
Some things to note
– You can prevent seizures in children.
-Accurate diagnosis is necessary.
– Advanced treatments including surgery are available in many places in India.
– Preventing seizures makes it possible to have a wonderful, full life.
(Author: Dr. Siddharth Kharkar, Consultant Neurologist and Movement Disorder Specialist, Nanavati Max Super Specialty Hospital)