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Absence seizures in children

Fri, 05/10/2013 - 19:34
my name is janelle and i noticed my daughter having these staring episodes, after a couple of months noticed they where getting more and more frequent, spoke to her teacher and was told that shes noticed her having them in class, it hit me so hard, confirmation its not just in my mind, shes had all the tests with the wires on her head and was confirmed she has peti mal with tendencys for grand mal, the meds are really taking there toll, my once happy energetic daughter is now tired and angry, its killing me to see her like this, im left wondering whats worse the seizures or this stranger that is now my middle daughter? any insight would be much appreciated i feel so lost.

Comments

Re: Absence seizures in children

Submitted by Chantal Schutz Parent Coach on Wed, 2013-05-15 - 19:43
Hi Auz Mom!!! I read your post and it sounds like something I could have written a year ago! your daughters diagnosis and effects from the meds sound exactly similar to mine. Emily is 8 and has absence epilepsy. We tried many different drugs and combinations of them. None stopped her seizures (which reached upwards of 300 a day at their worst) and the side effects were too much to handle (specifically the temper and moodiness...oh my who stole my daughter!) I would love to help you! One of the silver linings from Emily`s experience is that i have shifted my life coaching from business to helping other parents just like me! I offer a free 45-minute coaching session (can be done over telephone or skype). Please visit my webiste www.parentpower.ca You should also consider the ketogenic diet (which has not been very popular so far for absence epilepsy but which proved helpful for Emily). On June 1, 2013 I will be releasing my eBook which is a survival guide for parents with Epileptic children who use the keto diet to help with seizure control. I hope to hear from you!!! Chantal

Re: Absence seizures in children

Submitted by Medonehue1 on Sun, 2013-10-06 - 10:03
I completely understand what you are going through. My son whom is 3 years old was just recently diagnosed. He was not having the staring episodes initially. It first started with his eyes rolling in the back of his head, and now he is having the staring episode. And as of right now the meds (Depakote) do not seen to be working so his Dr. keeps upping the dosage. My son gets so mad at me when trying to give his meds, its very exhausting, but I know that everything will all work out and that's all I keep telling myself. Things will get better!

Re: Absence seizures in children

Submitted by just_joe on Sun, 2013-10-06 - 13:54

Hi janelle

I read you post and I have a view from th side your daughter is on. I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 13. I had had seizures from age 12. However they could have been earlier. I have pettie mal,grande mal and focal motor epilepsy. Absence seizure land in there along with other types of seizures. I can say I had seizures before becasue I was constantly being written up for day dreaming in class. I had some of the highest scores on thests or even the quizes. Those day dreams may have been seizures considering in most of the seizures I have I can see hear and understand everything going on around me.

Those wires to her head well that test is an EEG and those tests will let the doctors know where any abnormalities (seizure activity) come from, with that information they can locate the area and with a MRI they can look closer at that area and make determinations on procedures or medications that can help control the seizures.

As for medications. Well what one person takes my not work on others. Medications are being made to help control different types of seizures and side effects can be troublesome. It took me some time to get used to the medications I was put on and during that time frame I wasn't nice to everybody considering I didn't like having to take medicine and wanted to be like everybody else.

I would say give her a little time she may come around and it may take a different dosage or even a different medication.

As for her seizures. Believe me you would not really want to see her have a grande mall seizure. I know been there done that. They are not easy to watch and they can really take a toll. I personally would rather be taking medications then wearing out the energy a seizure takes out of you. Even those absence seizures use a lot of energy.  tendencys for grand mal means there is a possiabilty for her to have a grande mal seizure and believe me those are not nice to those in the seizure or those who see them. Mothers are wonderful but I also know what my mother went thru considering the first seizure deffinately know I had was a grande mal. It is really confussing comming to while seniors are carrying you into the nurses office I had 4 carrying me while 2 coaches were with them one at each end head and foot. I fell asleep and woke up around 2 in the afternoon when Mom got there and she took me to a doctor.

I might suggest is use the My Epilepsy Diary which you can get on this site. Enter the type of seizures she has along with her medications. Once entered keep a daily track of she takes her meds then go to that area and check the times. If she misses a dose then enter that.If she has a seizure enter that. Moods can also be checked. There is a note pad which you can enter information in. I enter the length of time I am in a seizure and the length of time it takes me to focus (get back to normal). The diary can be sent to her doctor or you can give your doctor permission to look at it or even send it to yourself and print it our. The information entered will also help her doctor because it gives him more information so he can look at procedures or dosage changes or even medication changes. I use mine and started because I was having more seizures than I normally had, My doc added another medication to my keppra and now the seizures are down to what they were and we have upped the dosage and it looks like they are fewer than what they were.

By all means let her dream of being what others want to be and do not stop her dreaming. I was a dreamer and I had some wonderful dreams. I had to change some but then if I hadn't I might not have becoma a manager of a company who with a friend bought a branch of that company. I still have dreams and many have come true.

I hope this helps and I hope she gets her seizures under control and she gets back to being energetic and happy again. I know that can be done because I did it. 

Joe

Hi janelle

I read you post and I have a view from th side your daughter is on. I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 13. I had had seizures from age 12. However they could have been earlier. I have pettie mal,grande mal and focal motor epilepsy. Absence seizure land in there along with other types of seizures. I can say I had seizures before becasue I was constantly being written up for day dreaming in class. I had some of the highest scores on thests or even the quizes. Those day dreams may have been seizures considering in most of the seizures I have I can see hear and understand everything going on around me.

Those wires to her head well that test is an EEG and those tests will let the doctors know where any abnormalities (seizure activity) come from, with that information they can locate the area and with a MRI they can look closer at that area and make determinations on procedures or medications that can help control the seizures.

As for medications. Well what one person takes my not work on others. Medications are being made to help control different types of seizures and side effects can be troublesome. It took me some time to get used to the medications I was put on and during that time frame I wasn't nice to everybody considering I didn't like having to take medicine and wanted to be like everybody else.

I would say give her a little time she may come around and it may take a different dosage or even a different medication.

As for her seizures. Believe me you would not really want to see her have a grande mall seizure. I know been there done that. They are not easy to watch and they can really take a toll. I personally would rather be taking medications then wearing out the energy a seizure takes out of you. Even those absence seizures use a lot of energy.  tendencys for grand mal means there is a possiabilty for her to have a grande mal seizure and believe me those are not nice to those in the seizure or those who see them. Mothers are wonderful but I also know what my mother went thru considering the first seizure deffinately know I had was a grande mal. It is really confussing comming to while seniors are carrying you into the nurses office I had 4 carrying me while 2 coaches were with them one at each end head and foot. I fell asleep and woke up around 2 in the afternoon when Mom got there and she took me to a doctor.

I might suggest is use the My Epilepsy Diary which you can get on this site. Enter the type of seizures she has along with her medications. Once entered keep a daily track of she takes her meds then go to that area and check the times. If she misses a dose then enter that.If she has a seizure enter that. Moods can also be checked. There is a note pad which you can enter information in. I enter the length of time I am in a seizure and the length of time it takes me to focus (get back to normal). The diary can be sent to her doctor or you can give your doctor permission to look at it or even send it to yourself and print it our. The information entered will also help her doctor because it gives him more information so he can look at procedures or dosage changes or even medication changes. I use mine and started because I was having more seizures than I normally had, My doc added another medication to my keppra and now the seizures are down to what they were and we have upped the dosage and it looks like they are fewer than what they were.

By all means let her dream of being what others want to be and do not stop her dreaming. I was a dreamer and I had some wonderful dreams. I had to change some but then if I hadn't I might not have becoma a manager of a company who with a friend bought a branch of that company. I still have dreams and many have come true.

I hope this helps and I hope she gets her seizures under control and she gets back to being energetic and happy again. I know that can be done because I did it. 

Joe

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