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Seizures and sleep disorders

Wed, 09/27/2006 - 15:17
Does anyone know how sleep disorders play on seizures. My daughter has been diagnosed with partial seizures. It appears that a sleep disorder came on about a year before the diagnosis and there were certain symptoms of seizure activity then that were missed. It became clear that she had seizures when she went to a sleep away camp this summer and kept seizing. Her sleep disorder is better now and in fact she sleeps very well at night. We have not seen any more seizures since this has happened. I would like to know how sleep disorders play on seizures and if they can actually cause seizures.

Comments

Re: Seizures and sleep disorders

Submitted by mommy2kyra on Fri, 2006-09-29 - 23:40
Hi Karen, Your description sounds as though your daughter had seizures awake as well as asleep, and you are curious if a sleep disorder and the seizures are linked together. Was your daughter diagnosed with a sleep disorder of some kind? It is NOT uncommon to have seizures in sleep. It isn't a sleep disorder. Rather, brain activity at certain points of sleep is more active which may induce a seizure(s). My interpretation is that your daughter sleeps well now (without incident) because her seizures are under control. I hope that this continues and that your daughter feels good. Best of luck! Heather :)

Re: Seizures and sleep disorders

Submitted by jmccand on Sat, 2006-09-30 - 07:10
Karen, My daughter has never been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, but I do know that when she had her VEEG, there was actually more activity when she was sleeping. She would often wake up very grumpy, tired, and with a headache. I could see how that is very likely what is going on with your daughter. Lori

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