Sons 1st seizure @ 10 years old---I'm Scared Too Death

Hi there. Nice to hear that the CAT scan looked alright (so did mine). I know the seizure was scary for you (and for your son, no doubt). All you can do at this point is patiently wait for the EEG and your consultation with a neurologist or epileptologist. Best thing you can do now is be patient and positive, educate yourself (by reading at www.epilepsy.com where there's lots of good info to navigate at the left hand column). You say "something must have caused this", but really, seizures can come out of nowhere. It can be a once-in-a-lifetime deal, or a tendency to do it more often (then it's defined as epilepsy, of which there are MANY varieties). Some types of juvenile epilepsy can be outgrown. Others simply need to be medicated (not a big deal). Even more stubborn types can be adjusted to--life goes on! I had my first big seizure in March of this year after a couple of years of little ones. (I'm 32 yrs old.) I have been seizure free for a few weeks now thanks to medication, and the meds available these days can be pretty darn good. So again, don't worry; just wait til the results and the consultation, and if it IS epilepsy, come back to this site often for terrific information and lots of support. Best of luck, Jules PS: The word epilepsy is far more intimidating than the condition itself; just a matter of educating yourself, adapting, and overcoming! :)

My 5 year old child was diagnosed with epilepsy in the last 6 months. I know how overwhelming the first seizure can be. She has had a couple seizures which were different from your sons. Once a person has 2 or more, then the diagnosis is epilepsy (there are many different kinds of epilepsy). A great book to get is "Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood" by John M. Freeman. There is so much information out there and this specifically deals with children. I am a lay person but my understanding is just because you have one seizure, it does not mean you will ever have another. A higher percentage of people who have one never have another. Even though it is confusing, it is a good thing nothing showed in the CAT scan because they are looking for structural problems in the brain which you don't want. We actually did a MRI of the brain. Why did they do a CAT Scan versus an MRI? Your doctor should not make you wait too long the on EEG. The results are right in the tracings. Our daughter did a 24 EEG and he gave me results right away on the spot. Are you seeing a general child neurologist or a neurologist who specilizes in epilepsy? Don't be afraid to go for a second opinion. Our first doctor was horrible and rude. He barely explained anything. When we switched we found a doctor who in the first meeting talked with us for an hour an a half. The good news is a lot of the childhood epilepsies are benign and the children outgrow it. As to what you do next, when our daughter had her first seizure (which we were not sure if it was at first because they occur while she is sleeping), we did an EEG and an MRI but it wasn't until her second one, almost 5 months later that we decided to use medicine. That was a scary step but now she takes only a half dose and is adjusting to it. I hope some of this helps. Please write back if you have any questions.