General Symptoms of Epilepsy
Epileptic seizures are categorized into two primary types: generalized seizures and partial seizures. This classification is based on the affected regions of the brain and the extent of impact. The general symptoms associated with seizures in children can be outlined as follows:
- Stiffness of the body.
- Twitching of the limbs.
- Blank staring.
- Breathing difficulties.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Ineffectiveness to respond to auditory stimuli for brief periods.
- Inability to control bowel and bladder functions during the seizure.
- Experiencing episodes of rapid eye blinking followed by periods of staring.
- Sudden falls to the ground, especially upon loss of consciousness.
Common Symptoms in Children
Epilepsy encompasses several subtypes, each with distinct symptoms. Below are the symptoms associated with the most prevalent types observed in children:
- Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy: This type affects adolescents, marked by sudden jerking seizures occurring in the early morning, particularly in the hands and shoulders, which can progress to generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
- Absence Seizures: Also known as childhood absence epilepsy, during these episodes, the child may stare blankly for short periods, losing awareness, potentially up to a hundred times a day. Post-seizure, the child might resume activities unaware of the incident, and sometimes mild hand twitching may accompany these episodes.
- Rolandic Epilepsy: Common among children aged 4 to 10 years, predominantly in boys, it is characterized by nighttime facial twitching and temporary loss of speech, and some children may experience generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
- Atonic Seizures: Usually lasting less than 15 seconds but occasionally extending to minutes, symptoms include:
- Drooping eyelids.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Twitching.
- Sudden loss of muscle control.
- Unexpected collapse to the ground without the ability to move.
- Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures: These seizures consist of five distinct phases: body and limb stiffening, rigidity, twitching, followed by muscle contractions and relaxations. The child may appear to be asleep post-seizure and may experience issues with speech, vision, headaches, or fatigue.
Symptoms of Partial Seizures
Partial seizures may be preceded by certain warning signs, such as intense fear or euphoria, along with sensory changes including alterations in hearing, smell, and sight. Partial seizures occur due to an abnormal electrical discharge in a specific region of one hemisphere of the brain. There are two types of partial seizures, each with distinct symptoms:
- Simple Partial Seizures: Symptoms vary depending on the affected brain region. If the vision-related area is involved, children may experience visual changes. Muscle involvement is common, and children might exhibit symptoms like sweating, nausea, or skin pallor, but they do not lose consciousness.
- Complex Partial Seizures: These typically affect the areas controlling emotion and memory and may result in unusual behaviors such as running, screaming, lip biting, crying, or laughing, sometimes accompanied by a brief loss of awareness.
Complications of Epilepsy in Children
Numerous complications can arise from epileptic seizures, including:
- Cardiac Complications: These may involve tachycardia, heart attacks, hypertension, and arrhythmias.
- Pulmonary Complications: This includes respiratory cessation, aspiration pneumonia, respiratory failure, and hypoxia.
- Endocrine Complications: Such as elevated levels of prolactin and cortisol hormones.
- Brain Complications: These can include cerebral edema, neurological damage similar to hypoxia, and increased intracranial pressure.
- Metabolic Complications: Such as hyperkalemia, fluctuations in blood sugar levels, venous stasis, and low blood volume.
- Other Complications: Including leukocytosis, kidney failure, vomiting, sweating, fever, rhabdomyolysis, and fractures.
References
- ^ A B Anne Fetterman, Joseph Campellone, Raymond Kent Turley (Epilepsy and Seizures in Children), “Epilepsy and Seizures in Children”, www.urmc.rochester.edu, Retrieved 17-3-2019. Edited.
- ↑ Colin Tidy (11-7-2015), “Epilepsy in Children and Young People”, www.patient.info, Retrieved 18-3-2019. Edited.
- ↑ “Atonic seizures”, www.aboutkidshealth.ca, 4-2-2010, Retrieved 29-4-2019. Edited.
- ↑ “Generalized Seizures”, www.chp.edu, Retrieved 29-4-2019. Edited.
- ↑ “Status Epilepticus Risk Factors and Complications”, www.news-medical.net, Retrieved 15-8-2022. Edited.
- ↑ “Status Epilepticus Clinical Presentation”, emedicine.medscape.com, Retrieved 15-8-2022. Edited.
- ↑ “Status Epilepticus”, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, Retrieved 15-8-2022. Edited.
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