|
|
If you (or your loved one) have had a vagus nerve stimulator implanted, what happened after it?
(Note: You must log in or register to participate in this poll.)
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:
Depending on the baby's medical history and examination results, the doctor may order a variety of tests or procedures to look for:
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.
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
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Brain electricians on notice to be fired. | May 7, 2008 | |
| Suggestions on how to deal with flickering lights? | May 5, 2008 | |
| Please Help Me: New To Epilepsy | Feb 15, 2008 | |
| Two neurologists, conflicting opinions, what to do? | Feb 18, 2008 | |
| Thinking of you... | Apr 4, 2008 | |
| Depakote, Lamictal, Topomax, Xanax, Klonopin - What should I take? | Apr 24, 2008 | |
| can paint fumes trigger seizures? | Feb 9, 2008 | |
| Seizures while sleeping? How can I tell if Im having them? | Apr 24, 2008 | |
| Eyelid twitching | Feb 20, 2008 | |
| Could a "partial" be as small as forgetting a few words? | Apr 20, 2008 |
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Is memory loss common after temporal lobectomy? | May 16, 2008 | |
| Seizures During Sleep Only?? | May 16, 2008 | |
| keppra vs. topamax | May 16, 2008 | |
| New to site and living with Epilepsy | May 16, 2008 | |
| New to the forum, son with seizure disorder. | May 16, 2008 | |
| From rare tonic-cloning seizures to many small ones | May 16, 2008 | |
| Post Surgery Questions | May 16, 2008 | |
| New to the forum, son with seizure disorder. | May 16, 2008 | |
| How do I harden up to this? | May 16, 2008 | |
| Answers to Brain surgery questions. | May 15, 2008 |
| Title | Page Views | |
|---|---|---|
| Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures....... | 21,808 | |
| my.epilepsy.com Updates | 20,169 | |
| topamax and weight loss | 18,718 | |
| kepra | 18,468 | |
| Possible cure for absence seizures | 15,296 | |
| Epilepsy and marijuana | 14,066 | |
| Sexual Side Effects | 12,254 | |
| How exactly do aura's feel | 11,992 | |
| MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s | 10,951 | |
| Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Part 2 | 9,752 |
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Epilepsy in gastric bypass patients | Feb 8, 2008 | |
| Answers...sort of. And a new kitty! | Feb 27, 2008 | |
| Ok Jan, this one's for you | Feb 15, 2008 | |
| 2 SEIZURES TODAY, GOING FOR 3? READ MALLY HOO'S ENTRY TODAY. SHE WAS TREATED AWFUL. | Feb 14, 2008 | |
| No Seizures After Menopause | Apr 28, 2008 | |
| I would bang my head against the wall, but..... | Feb 7, 2008 | |
| I will not betray myself. | Feb 9, 2008 | |
| feeling off | Mar 18, 2008 | |
| A spouses story | Apr 30, 2008 | |
| The impossible has happened. Pigs are flying, and hell has frozen over. | Mar 3, 2008 |
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Long Day | May 16, 2008 | |
| interictal dysphoric disorder | May 16, 2008 | |
| Angry with the neuro's office and frustrated by the school situation | May 16, 2008 | |
| HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THOSE SPECIAL MOM'S | May 15, 2008 | |
| Im not alone | May 15, 2008 | |
| I've Lost My Mind | May 15, 2008 | |
| Looking for answers | May 15, 2008 | |
| Epilepsy in gastric bypass patients | May 15, 2008 | |
| gypsyg | May 14, 2008 | |
| Genetics appt | May 14, 2008 |
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| A father and family in search of better therapies: a journey and friendship led to epilepsy.com and the Epilepsy Therapy Project | Apr 16, 2008 | |
| My 5year old daughter | Mar 19, 2008 | |
| Oranges for the World | Feb 12, 2008 | |
| My little Angel Aurora.... | Feb 26, 2008 | |
| epilepsy in chidren | Mar 3, 2008 | |
| Samantha's History | Mar 5, 2008 | |
| Richard C. Heer | Mar 25, 2008 | |
| Kind of typical | Apr 9, 2008 | |
| Short Version | Apr 15, 2008 | |
| My life of seizures, a stroke, and brain surgery | Apr 17, 2008 |
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Ms. | May 16, 2008 | |
| shilpa | May 16, 2008 | |
| First seizure at age 25 | May 15, 2008 | |
| its hared but then i found this | May 15, 2008 | |
| Nobody Understands | May 15, 2008 | |
| Depakote and Children | May 14, 2008 | |
| what goes around comes around | May 14, 2008 | |
| Shari Story | May 13, 2008 | |
| susu | May 13, 2008 | |
| Ayden's Story | May 13, 2008 |
