21 month old with 2 normal EEGs - possible atonic seizures

what should you do? If I were in your position, I would go and seek a second, third, fourth opinion until you feel you are being heard. You know your child better than anyone else. If you feel it is NOT breathholding than it probably isn't. Stick to your maternal instincts and find another doctor. go with your GUT feeling; GUT=Guaranteed Undeniably True... pamela

Hi Jenn, :) First off, you like other parents here, deserve a compliment for searching in an attempt to help your child. As one who has had E since I was 3 (my mother was a nurse, so I have been on meds since that time), let me try to lend a hand. First off it isn't well known that ,unfortunately, EEGs only record the brain waves at the time of the test itself and they may be normal (then). http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/eeg_normal.html When your son takes his 24 hour EEG they may try to deny him sleep or flash lights in his eyes = 2 methods of causing a seizure. No worries.. he'll be ok. In Atonic frontal lobe seizures the person generally remain conscious. http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_atonic.html Yet, you mention your son passes out and that sure doesn't sound like being consciousness to me. What type of specialist are you taking your son to? Most, I have asked that of, reply 'neurologist'. Neurology is a huge area as specialists must know about ALL problems relating to the spine as well as the brain I went to over 10 neurologists in my life, but was never controlled until after I'd been to all at the hospital ,where my GP practiced, & he (finally) sent me to an epileptologist = a neurologist that specializes in, and focuses on, the more than 40 types of epilepsy. Within a couple of months after our first meeting, the epileptologist had me completely controlled (for the first time in my life) on drugs that had been on the market for years even when I'd been seeing general neurologists. (The last general neurologist I saw told me I couldn't be controlled and that I had to "learn to live" with side effects) Ty to the epilepsy specialist he was proven wrong. I was searching some info on Keppra for you and this is what I found: "In children, Keppra has been used primarily to treat partial seizures, ones that begin in a limited area of the brain." http://www.epilepsy.com/medications/b_keppra_children.html However, Atonic seizures are primary generalized seizures, http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/types_seizures.html so I'm curious about why the Dr has chosen this med. That's it for now.. know I wish you and your son the very best. Take care & don't go crazy with worry. Try to stay positive for your son and know you have friends here to talk with. ~sol PS.. Should you be searching for another specialist in the USA, go to www.epilepsy.com, top of the page & 3rd from the left. Best of luck.

Thank you so much for your help. The answer was neurologist, he is NOT a epelipologist ( however you spell that!) I am going to try and find a specialist. I feel like it is seizures because he seems to have a postictal time after fainting. I didn't know there was different kinds of meds for different kinds of seizures! Thank you for clueing me in on that. Wow, I didn't know stuff like this was so hard. I just thought you went to the doctor and they told you what was wrong. But this has been quite a roller coaster ride, with me doing all of the work. He is a baby and I am amazed that they aren't doing everything they can to find out what is wrong with him. Thanks for the info.