Place Your Advertisement Here
All ad revenues support the mission of the Epilepsy Therapy Project
 
UPDATED: Sun, 11/11/2007 - 3:53pm

  • Epilepsy First Aid
  • Seizure Medication
  • Videos
  • Seizure Diary
  • Find a Doctor
  • Epilepsy Centers
  • Clinical Trials
  • Event Calendar

Place Your Advertisement Here
All ad revenues support the mission
of the Epilepsy Therapy Project

Diagnosis of Infant Seizures

Specially trained doctors called pediatric neurologists try to identify the cause of seizures in newborns and infants. Commonly recognized causes of epilepsy before the age of 1 year include:

  • Newborn illnesses (lack of oxygen, infection, hemorrhage, etc.)
  • Abnormal brain development in the womb
  • Genetic disorders
  • Encephalitis (an infection of the brain)
  • Meningitis (an infection of the membranes covering the brain)
  • Febrile illness related seizures (febrile seizures)

Depending on the baby's medical history and examination results, the doctor may order a variety of tests or procedures to look for:

  • Structural abnormalities in the brain, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head with a special epilepsy protocol
  • Abnormal background or electrical activity in the brain, using an EEG
  • Chemical disorders or metabolic problems, using a variety of blood or urine tests
  • Genetic disorders, using chromosomal studies
  • Evidence of infection or metabolic disorders, or chemical disorders using a spinal tap (lumbar puncture)

The best test to look for abnormalities in the structure of the brain is MRI. If an infant's MRI scan looks normal during the first few months of life, the doctor is likely to repeat it later because some abnormalities that were not visible earlier may show up around 1 year of age.

The lumbar puncture, which is done to obtain a sample of cerebrospinal fluid, is safe and not very painful. The baby's worst crying usually comes when the doctor cleans the skin with a cool antiseptic solution. An anesthetic cream can be used to anesthetize the skin. Intravenous sedation is sometimes used.

In many cases no cause can be found. Brain injuries causing seizures may be impossible to pinpoint, especially injuries occurring in the womb or those associated with only microscopic damage. For example, seizure disorders in infancy may result from a viral infection in the mother during pregnancy that is undetectable with our current tests—though nearly all pregnant women who have mild viral infections have perfectly healthy babies.

Once in a great while, seizures in newborns and infants are caused by a deficiency of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). It is important to recognize the deficiency because it is a very treatable cause of seizures. The diagnosis can be established by seeing whether the seizures improve when vitamin B6 is given by mouth, or by recording the EEG while injecting vitamin B6. An improvement in the EEG patterns indicates a vitamin B6 deficiency.

Topic Editor:James W. Wheless, M.D.
Last Reviewed:10/5/06



Welcome to the Wiki. This space is created for epilepsy.com members to share their own experiences and expertise to help refine and expand the discussion around important topics.

No members have yet contributed to this topic. If you are not yet an epilepsy.com member, register today to get started on this Wiki topic and the many other advantages of being a member. If you are a member and wish to be the first to edit this Wiki topic, please make sure to login, then click on the orange "Start Wiki" button at the top of this page. Or, learn more about Wikis.


Information For Families

Did you know?

Children with epilepsy have a higher rate of learning disorders than the general public. However, most children with epilepsy don't have learning problems.

More FAQs


Take Control of your seizures by starting My Epilepsy Diary today.

Keeping a daily record of your seizures can help you and your doctor better understand and treat your epilepsy.

Open my epiCom Diary


Title Posted
Faked seizures  
dfarrell
I Have Epilepsy and I Hate My Life...  
1nevermore
im confused, scared and feeling so helpless  
groovybird
terrified to get pregnant  
linzysmith323
Food-Triggered Siezures  
uberzwitter
The Reasons not to consume alcohol or smoke marijuana if you have epilepsy  
LaurenG1211
Can exercise induce seizures?  
MichaelK
Do seizures change characteristics over time?  
Amazon
Myoclonic jerks occuring in the evening?  
elly
Epilepsy triggers?  
Black.Pearl
View all Forums

Title Posted
Have I had a seizure? Any of these symptoms familiar?  
scotchyscotch
TLE or PNES?  
mel239
Can bacteria be related to seizures?  
larryz
Simple Partial Seizures and EEG/EKG  
erkadrka
NyQuil  
Eilliem
Can taking OTC medications for cold, flu and sinus infections result in seizures?  
larryz
twitchy arm  
emzclarinet
How long do your symptoms last (if they ever even go away)  
jasssmit
Who is your personal hero?  
phylisfjohnson
Causes of Underemployment.  
Matthew Simington
View all Forums

Title Page Views
my.epilepsy.com Updates  
epi_help
topamax and weight loss  
alexia mom
kepra  
brian mattingly
Possible cure for absence seizures  
pdl1
Epilepsy and marijuana  
cjad234
Sexual Side Effects  
George R
How exactly do aura's feel  
WendyBendy
MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s  
picnupthepcs
Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Revised  
spiz
electrical shock in head?  
Maggie
View all Forums

Title Posted
BEEN A LONG.........PROBABLY A LONG PURGING BLOG COMING........I'M BEING FOLLOWED BY A MOONSHADOW....  
ROCKNROLL
AS THE DRUG COMPANY TURNS - THE SOAP OPERA  
banffgirl
Changing seizures..very scary  
r_mommy2
Quitting medication after brain operation  
karl34
My friend...  
Crystal11
A true friend  
MichaelK
Im new and could use as much advice as possible!!!  
brookehaye
what is family  
davita
Student Life and Epilepsy  
How enlightening  
megfrito
View all Blogs

Title Posted
same dose for 6 years possible unidentified seizures  
mash4077
Well, I know.... (Question at bottom of blog.)  
quesofresco
nightmares  
becky89
i need to vent...  
jacky99
michelle  
michelle41
Etiology of a Housebound Visionary  
tigro65
Anyone w/ temporal lobe epilepsy and not on medication?  
hazel baum
MY 1ST BLOG :)  
awalkingmiracle
I hate the hospital.  
Shenoah
Visit to a doctor - February 2010  
MichaelK
View all Blogs

Title Page Views
Inspirational Quote - My Own Personal Inner Thoughts  
Butterflygrl
my partial complex seizures  
Zanna1211
Topomax... The Dreaded.........  
Dr Jason
Brain Zaps, tics & twitches  
JudiS
side effects of phenobarb.  
pksmom
Feeling Sick  
JBJ1984
How can you tell if a sleep seizure happens?  
epl_controller
Tegretol XR and ANXIETY meds  
Butterflygrl
TYLENOL, AEDs & SEIZURES  
cmscribbles
Nonepileptic "Events" vs. "Seizures"  
teft
View all Blogs

Title Posted
Epilepsy and Movies  
wendyspazzez
View all Groups

Title Posted
Treating Depression with Epilepsy  
mypetitmal
Burm80  
burm80
WHO NEEDS A SEIZURE ALERT DOG  
MOMMY HOLLIE
surgery group  
bobby chen
Parents of Adult Children with Epilepsy  
askadis
Grandparents of grandchildren with Epilepsy  
EmiliesGrandma
neeraj clinic, rishikesh,india  
ankita gupta
Project Uplift  
tamliniscute
SEIZURE FREE  
gracie9933
EPILEPSY SUPPORT GROUP NORTH CAROLINA  
Roxanne D
View all Groups

Title Posted
giving humans another try ;)  
bookworm03
growning up  
geenie
Journey of Epilepsy  
Jensey84
Epilepsy and my daughter  
dmeitzen
Fighting the fight to stop the seizures  
lahull2000
Isolated Seizures, Don't feel the need for Meds...  
luli18
My Life With Epilepsy  
DUMFY
My Epilepsy Story  
Kelly G.
My seizures  
ladybugg31186
My Story  
CN
View all Stories

Title Posted
Do I really have seizures?  
Elmwoody
Looking for answers...  
BSimons
Finding myself through the years  
starlitgemini
Too many times doing the fish!!!  
Jeffrey Resetar
My First story  
eggcoo
my beautiful 6yr old boy  
kaiden
My son has Rolandic Epilepsy  
klabiche
My mother's epilepsy  
Raymond Loh
A married man with a sick wife  
russell11
Many changes I had and continue to have.  
Its Me
View all Stories

Place Your Advertisement Here
All ad revenues support the mission
of the Epilepsy Therapy Project