Absence Seizures?

[amldaley]

Anyone have experience with early onset of Absence Seizures in their LO or Complex Partial Seizures? Everything I see says it can come as early as age 4 but am wondering if it can come earlier?

Shortly before her 2nd birthday, DD began doing this thing where she would close her eyes and swing her head a little (Ray Charles like). We thought she was experimenting with sensations, eyes closed, dizzy, etc. She would even walk like that and walk in to cabinets, wall, etc. We noticed mostly in the evenings. She would not respond when we spoke to her.

But as that began to wane, she has now begun having staring spells. He eyes lock, just slightly rolled up and a little to the side. She is in daycare all day, so I only notice them in the evenings. They happen sometimes in the car, and often at the table. Sometimes in bed.

Tonight was terrifying. For the first time, I knew she was not just messing around. She was eating, and her head dropped. She leaned over on the table. I thought she was choking as she made a tiny sound. She would not respond to me at all. I got under her and lifted her a head a little. She was not there. Her eyes were glassed over, rolled up a little and to the side. Her pupils seemed small. She did not blink. It could have only last a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. She was also EXTREMELY pale. They seem to happen more when she is tired.

My neuro is trying to diagnose my many headaches, migraines, and possible Simple Partial Seizure epilepsy, so maybe I am more sensitive and alert to this. But she is only 2. These episodes last 5-20 seconds. And sometimes she IS just messing around. I worry I am over thinking this.

Anyone BTDT?

(I am having a bad mommy month. She needs to see her ortho ped, her gait is off, her right leg is not swinging correctly, she had to have an ekg for an aortic heart murmuer, she has to see a urologist next week, I did not know she was supposed to have a tooth brush at school and found out today that for 6 weeks she has been watching the other kids brush their teeth after lunch and she is left out and she LOVES to brush....I am crushed for her.)

[Indianamom2]

Wow...I don't have any advice, but I just wanted to say that I hope you find some answers ASAP. That sounds really scary, and I'm sure that you're worried. Hopefully someone else will be able to help.

:hug:

[DietCokeLover]

DH has epilepsy, so I have experience with seizures, but not in children. I would get her in to her Ped asap and get her referred to a specialist.

[pinkmomagain]

I don't have any experience with something like this, but I do not think you are "overthinking this." I'd be asking your ped for a referral tomorrow am.

[MommyAllison]

A friend of mine had something similar start happening with her 2.5 year old DS. Unfortunately, the specialist she was referred to couldn't see them for a couple months, so in the meantime she started trying to change his environment and reduce the triggers (for him, it happened mostly when he was tired - before naptime and in the evening). They did get into the specialist and the EEG came back fine. Not sure what the official diagnosis was, but her DS is having them a lot less now. She has been trying to keep diet and schedule very carefully monitored - making sure he is getting enough sleep and eating very healthy foods. He has always been sensitive to those things, even before the seizures started, and keeping them controlled has been key for them. I hope that helps, and please let me know if there are any questions that my friend might be able to help with.

[HIU8]

I had absense seizures in college, just like what you are describing. My friends used to say that I would looked glazed over. I remember being able to "see" while having them, but not really knowing what I was seeing and not able to communicate during one. They lasted from 10 -60 seconds. I did have one episode where I remember locking my dorm door and then nothing until I was in my first class of the day. I have no idea how I got there--I had no memory of it (it was a 5 minute walk). I did have a few absence seizures as a child (around age 2). I was never diagnosed with epilepsy or anything though. I would go to a ped neurologist b/c from what you described they are getting worse. FWIW, I was put on medication for awhile in college and it helped a lot. I still have absence seizures but not very often and not requiring medication (around 1 or 2 a year at this point).

[DrSally]

Wow, scary. I would definitely get her into the ped and tell him/her exactly what you told us. Give all the details. I hope you find answers soon. '
What a bummer about the toothbrush too! I wonder why the teacher didn't mention something sooner.

[amldaley]

What a bummer about the toothbrush too! I wonder why the teacher didn't mention something sooner.

I got a "mommy hand slap" about it today. Apparently, it was mentioned somewhere in the 12 page orientation packet when she moved up to her new room. I "should have known."

I got the bit...I mean, lady, back who told me today by crying my eyes out in front of her as she was trying to leave for the day. My DD was in another room, so I just let it out.

[BabyMine]

I started having tonic -clonic seizures when I was 14. They would come on was I was really tired. They ran every test available and everything came back fine. My last seizure was when I was 18 even though the eclampsic seizures I had after TT was born was blamed on the hx of the seizures. My Neuro believes my migraines were causing them even though I didn't have the migraines at the time.

[KpbS]

I don't have any experience with something like this, but I do not think you are "overthinking this." I'd be asking your ped for a referral tomorrow am.

:yeahthat: I think you have every reason to have your mommy radar going off about now. Make sure you get to see a highly recommended ped neuro and not just anyone. :hug:

[elektra]

It does sound like seizures. I have epilepsy and have had partial seizures for as long as I can remember, so it can start very young.
I would get it checked out. Even if they do find something on an EEG or MRI they may not start with medication right at first, in a child that age. However, I wouldn't be overly concerned if that is what she ends up needing.
I am on medication and have been for several years and it is really no big deal for me now. Just telling you that so you don't have to worry about it being a hindrance on your DD's every day life or anything. :)

[ThreeofUs]

Oh, no, you must be frantic! Hugs to you and your DD. You are not overthinking at all. Get a referral to Early Intervention, and get her into a ped neurologist asap.

[jren]

My DD was dx with seizures (i.e. Epilepsy) last year when she was 5. Hers are mostly staring spells, look like absence seizures, but they are partial seizures. Just meaning that they originate from one area of the brain and absence are generalized, involving the whole brain. Absence usually goes away by teen years. Even the type my DD has can be something she grows out of. Her neuro said that if left untreated, it is common for the seizures to get worse (longer seizures more often) because the brain just gets better at doing them. So it is important to see if she needs treatment. My DD is on a medication and it's working fine, controls most of hers though she still has an occasional breakthrough seizure if she gets overly tired.

DD was dx by a sleep deprived EEG. Without sleep deprivation, a regular EEG may not happen to catch a seizure. She also had an MRI to rule out any structural cause for the seizures. The MRI is done under general anesthesia for kids.

My DD probably had seizures before we noticed them. Getting up early for Kindergarten was what brought out the frequency, and having to work on concentrated work and not just playing made the teacher notice them. DD's are really short, seconds. But she did become more accident prone before we knew about the seizures, and even knocked out a baby tooth during one episode.

Once we got DD on the right dose of meds, she was SO much happier. She knew her brain wasn't working right and just couldn't keep up in class. As for diet, there is a kenotonic (sp?) diet for some forms of epilepsy, but it is pretty extreme and usually reserved for cases where meds aren't controlling the seizures. Small diet changes haven't been shown to make a difference.

[lowrioh]

I would take my DD to the ped and ask for a referral to a specialist if I were you. When I was a college student I was a nanny for a family who had 2 year old twin daughters who had absence seizures so they are possible at that age.
I have adult onset epilepsy (tonic-clonic) and I have had all sorts of tests that have all come back normal so although a EEG (sleep deprived) or MRI may be important they may not be able to give you a specific cause for the seizures. According to my Neuro, " the brain is complicated"....it seems that although neuroscience has come a long way, there are often still more questions then answers.
If you get a diagonsis of epilepsy, you should check out the forums over at the epilepsy foundation http://epilepsyfoundation.ning.com/forum
I found the people there very supportive when I had my first seizures in grad school.

[citymama]

No advice but I am sending P&PT your way.