Archive for the ‘Epilepsy’ Category

HOW LONG DO SEIZURES NEED TO BE TREATED? WHAT IS THE CHANCE OF MY CHILD COMING OFF MEDICINE AND STAYING SEIZURE-FREE?

Saturday, June 18th, 2011

When your child has been free of seizures, on medication, for two years:
• Those children who have had idiopathic seizures, and who have no evidence of neurologic dysfunction, and whose EEG is normal or near normal have a 90 to 95 percent chance of remaining seizure-free without medication;
• Those children who have had epilepsy caused by old and nonprogressive brain damage, such as a birth injury or head trauma, have a 40 to 60 percent chance of staying seizure-free off medication, even if their EEGs are moderately abnormal;
• Those children whose EEGs are severely abnormal, and, particularly, if their EEGs are worse than when their seizures began, have a 90 to 9 5 percent chance of having more seizures if medicine is discontinued—even if they have been free of seizures for two years on medicine.
These scenarios represent points on a spectrum. How then does someone decide whether or not medication should be discontinued  or can be discontinued safely? Here we have to go back to our risk-benefit analysis. Remember that the risks are yours and your child’s, as are the benefits. Thus, you both have to be full partners with your physician as these decisions are made.
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HOW LONG DO SEIZURES NEED TO BE TREATED? WHAT IS THE CHANCE OF MY CHILD COMING OFF MEDICINE AND STAYING SEIZURE-FREE?When your child has been free of seizures, on medication, for two years:• Those children who have had idiopathic seizures, and who have no evidence of neurologic dysfunction, and whose EEG is normal or near normal have a 90 to 95 percent chance of remaining seizure-free without medication;• Those children who have had epilepsy caused by old and nonprogressive brain damage, such as a birth injury or head trauma, have a 40 to 60 percent chance of staying seizure-free off medication, even if their EEGs are moderately abnormal;• Those children whose EEGs are severely abnormal, and, particularly, if their EEGs are worse than when their seizures began, have a 90 to 9 5 percent chance of having more seizures if medicine is discontinued—even if they have been free of seizures for two years on medicine.These scenarios represent points on a spectrum. How then does someone decide whether or not medication should be discontinued  or can be discontinued safely? Here we have to go back to our risk-benefit analysis. Remember that the risks are yours and your child’s, as are the benefits. Thus, you both have to be full partners with your physician as these decisions are made.*136\208\8*

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SEIZURES AND EPILEPSY IN CHILDHOOD: PARENTS’ FEARS

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Parents come to us with many fears: “Will my child be all right?” “Will he swallow his tongue?” “Will she die?” “Does she have a brain tumor?” “Will he be retarded?” “Can he ever lead a normal life?” “Can seizures ever be controlled?” “Can I ever leave her alone?” “Will medication make him a druggie?” All of these thoughts—and more—run through the mind of a parent whose child has had a seizure. The children themselves have similar fears: “My God! Is this going to happen again?” “What will my friends think?” “Will I ever be able to ride my bike again?” “Can I go to college?” “Can I ever drive?” “Will I be able to get married?” “What about children?”
Before we can help you to deal with these fears and put epilepsy in perspective, we must debunk the mythology. Both terms, epilepsy and seizures, carry the myths and misconceptions of centuries when people thought to be possessed by witches were confined in special colonies or shunned. They saw a child suddenly “seized,” losing control, falling to the floor, his body jerking. A few minutes later this child was back to normal. What could have caused this to happen? It must have been some outside force! The devil? Not so long ago people believed this. We now know that seizures come from disruptions in the brain.
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SEIZURES AND EPILEPSY IN CHILDHOOD: PARENTS’ FEARSParents come to us with many fears: “Will my child be all right?” “Will he swallow his tongue?” “Will she die?” “Does she have a brain tumor?” “Will he be retarded?” “Can he ever lead a normal life?” “Can seizures ever be controlled?” “Can I ever leave her alone?” “Will medication make him a druggie?” All of these thoughts—and more—run through the mind of a parent whose child has had a seizure. The children themselves have similar fears: “My God! Is this going to happen again?” “What will my friends think?” “Will I ever be able to ride my bike again?” “Can I go to college?” “Can I ever drive?” “Will I be able to get married?” “What about children?”Before we can help you to deal with these fears and put epilepsy in perspective, we must debunk the mythology. Both terms, epilepsy and seizures, carry the myths and misconceptions of centuries when people thought to be possessed by witches were confined in special colonies or shunned. They saw a child suddenly “seized,” losing control, falling to the floor, his body jerking. A few minutes later this child was back to normal. What could have caused this to happen? It must have been some outside force! The devil? Not so long ago people believed this. We now know that seizures come from disruptions in the brain.*2\208\8*

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