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New Here, 6 year old having seizures

Wed, 05/10/2006 - 15:51
Hi I'm new here. My name is Michelle, I have 3 girls (17, 6, and 4 yrs old). My 17 yr old was diagnosed adhd age 7, ODD age 13, and then Bipolar at age 15. My 4 year old has asthma. My 6 year old is having seizures. I'm sorry this is long. Talking helps me clear my mind and helps me to think straight. Get things in order. Cameryn is 6 and her first seizure (that I know of) was a febrile seizure at age 4 which lasted several minutes (10-15). Her eyes were open and her legs stiffened all out straight like a board (and they literally felt like a board). Her arms folded in to her chest and her fingers looked as though she had terrible arthritis and very stiff also. Took her to the ER and they checked her out and sent us home marking it up to high fever seizure. The next seizure that I 'realized' was in June of '05. She normally pops out of bed and wakes quickly. This particular morning she got up slow and was just kind of slow moving, slow thinking, not verbal. I was getting frustrated because we had to be to her psychiatrist appt. and she just wasn't moving and seemed kind of dazed but moving slowly. I guided her to my computer chair and she sat down I sat down a few feet away and looked at her and first she was picking at what would have been her sleeve except that she had a short sleeve shirt on, then she had this blank stare, sitting upright, and she could not hear me calling her or flagging my arms for a couple minutes. She suddenly wet herself and looked down real confused and dazed. Afterwards, She couldn't find the words to objects (bales were pencils, cows were erasers, etc...) and while in the car became very restless and kept unbuckling herself moving from seat to seat and very chatty. When we got into traffic she asked 'where all these people were going' a couple times, and then 'where were all these people taking us' a couple of times. She wasn't quite back to normal for a couple hours. I had been noticing confusion, repetitive questions, time lapses and memory loss in the past year especially recently (last couple months). Also many behavior problems, hyperactivity, restlessness, oppositional, constantly sneaking out of the house on her own day and night. I've called the police to find her on 3 occassions since she was 3 years old. Friday, I had her to a child neuropsychologist (initial visit) he wants to run a EEG (24 hour). I have been researching and reading and reading about seizures and I feel AWFUL because there have been SO many signs long before now that I marked off as other things. One night she woke up clearing her throat for an abnormal amount of time and then started smacking her lips (sounded like she was eating, and then rubbing her fingers together). I thought she was dreaming. This lasted 2-4 minutes and then she laid back down and went back to sleep. Another time I now recall when she woke up and was laying down but pedalling her legs. Again I thought she was dreaming. Many, Many times looking back there was clear confusion, oddities that were overlooked. The past year she was seeing a counselor and psychiatrist for possible ADHD or Bipolar. He had prescribed Clonidine to help slow her down because it is a blood pressure medication that has a calming effect. That helped slow her down and sometimes it helped her to get to sleep. She is up a lot in the night. Sometimes she pops out of bed at 2 am, 3 am, 4 am, etc...rearing to go for the day. Sometimes it seems she requires very little sleep (4-5 hours).

Comments

Re: New Here, 6 year old having seizures

Submitted by bnrmom on Mon, 2006-05-22 - 19:39
You should definitely have the EEG. It is one of the first steps in determining seizure activity. The child neuropsychologist - is he experienced with epilepsy or seizures? Our 4yo started to have seizures shortly before her 3rd bday. Our first trip was to the ER, next day to her pediatrician who then referred us to a child neurologist who specializes in epilepsy/seizure disorders. It's really important to talk with someone who understands your daughter's condition and all her symptoms. I would not go back to either the counselor or psychiatrist who prescribed Clonidine. I have a son with ADHD. That medicine is not approved for ADHD in any way shape or form. Most ADHD meds are stimulants - which amazingly has the opposite effect on the ADHD body. We actually gave my son coffee in kindergarten to calm him down before school. Now he is on Stratera. I would also be concerned that this medicine is aggravating her condition. Since I am not a doctor - I don't know the answers, but I think you need a regular physician or better yet a neurologist. They will be able to diagnose her in a short period of time and give you the information you need to help your daughter. Our neurologist gave us a recommended reading list - start with "Seizures & Epilepsy in Childhood a Guide" by John Freeman, Eileen Vining & Dianna Pillas (you can find it at www.epilepsyfoundation.org)It is a wonderful starting point and so informative. The more you know the better off your daughter will be. Good luck

Re: New Here, 6 year old having seizures

Submitted by scotland30 on Wed, 2006-08-16 - 10:23
Hi Michele my name is lorna mum to callum 9 molly 2 1/2 my son had febrile convulsions as baby from 3 months onwards he was diagnosed we epilepsy at 1 year old has had all types of seizures and been on many medicines sounds like your daughter is having complex partial seizures callum has just same as u are experiencing with your daughter he talks aload nonsense when hes like that will pluck at clothes feel dizzy and darkness his eyes will blink he will become very white and clamy he will wet hisself also have no idea whats happening talking al through till he stops needing rectal diazapm if it continues he will stiffen bite his tongue jerk his arms but not go into full fit like before hes on keppra 500mg morning and night and epilim 600mg morning and night keppra makes him very hyperactiveso i symphise with you its very hard callum went 2 1/2 years seizure free just end july started having seizures again if you need to talk my email is lornapear@yahoo.co.uk get in touch might be able to chat and help each other

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