Epilepsy should be diagnosed as early as possible to
give a child the best chance for treatment success and a normal childhood and
future.
Symptoms of epilepsy may be difficult to recognise in
children, however: not all seizures involve obvious convulsions. Sometimes
symptoms are far more subtle, and these "hidden signs" often appear to fall
within the range of normal childhood behaviour. For example, some seizures
resemble daydreaming; or a seizure that causes a toddler to stumble and fall may
seem quite unremarkable. When these seemingly common behaviours occur unusually
often or in patterns, they may mean that a child has epilepsy.
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Epilepsy can also be difficult to diagnose in young
children because they cannot clearly communicate their subjective experience.
Recognising "hidden signs" in
children Signs that may mean a young child is having seizures
include the following:
Short spells of blank staring that look like
daydreaming.
Sudden falls for no apparent reason.
Lack of
response for brief periods.
Dazed behaviour.
Unusual
sleepiness and irritability when wakened.
Repetitive nodding.
Rapid blinking.
Frequent complaints from the child about
things looking, sounding, tasting, smelling or feeling "funny".
Clusters of "jackknife" movements in babies sitting down.
Clusters of grabbing movements with both arms in babies lying on
their backs.
Sudden stomach pain followed by confusion and
sleepiness.
Repeated movements that look out of place or unnatural.
Frequent stumbling or unusual clumsiness.
Sudden episodes
of fear for no apparent reason.
Recognising "hidden signs"
in adolescents Sometimes seizures start in adolescence. These
seizures may also be difficult to recognise, and are often misinterpreted as
"going through a phase", psychological problems or being under the influence of
drugs or alcohol. The following may be signs that a teenager is having
seizures:
Blank staring, followed by chewing, picking at clothes,
mumbling or random movements.
Sudden fear, anger or anxiety for no
apparent reason.
Muscle jerks of the limbs or body, especially in the
early morning.
Reporting sensory changes: things look, sound, smell or
feel strange or different.
Memory gaps.
Dazed behaviour.
Being unable to talk or communicate normally for a short time.
Presence of the signs listed above does not necessarily
mean your child has epilepsy, although these symptoms should be brought to a
doctor's attention.
The importance of early
diagnosis Recognition of seizures is important for early diagnosis
and treatment of epilepsy. Children whose seizures go unnoticed may face
problems such as:
Learning disabilities: brief blackouts (loss of
consciousness) make it hard to follow the teacher's instructions and keep up
with lessons in the classroom.
Safety risks. Sudden loss of awareness
in certain situations, such as swimming, climbing or riding a bicycle, can
result in serious injury.
Behaviour problems. The child may
experience feelings that he or she cannot communicate, and so becomes
frustrated and "acts out".
Social problems. The child and people he
or she comes into contact with do not understand the cause of the child's
unusual behaviours. The child may withdraw socially or be excluded by other
children.
Epilepsy should be diagnosed as early as possible to
give a child the best chance for treatment success and a normal childhood and
future.
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