Epilepsy Forum - Seizure At 6--1st Time (help)

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Q: Seizure At 6--1st Time (help)

asked by: llp829 on April 19th, 2005

New User

My daughter who is 6 years old had her first seizure last april 5, 2005. As to how long the seizure was, I couldn't tell as I was already in panic. Vaguely it probably lasted for more or less than 5 minutes (i am not sure). Although I haven't known or heard neither from my side nor from my husband side of epileptic ailment, I knew my daughter was having a seizure. Her left arm was jerking; eyes rolling in an upward movement then shifted to more like a blank stare, and drooled. I gave her a teaspoon of sugar to make her conscious, after that she vomited. By the time we rushed her to the hospital she was already conscious and was telling me she dreamt of a monster biting her. And then she was back to her normal self being the talkative healthy baby girl.

A week later, my daughter was examined by a neurologist. She was asked to walk slow and fast, tight grip, resist arm movements, reflexes and eye-movements. On that same day, my daughter underwent eeg. The result of which was generally okay except the neuro had some wariness so my daughter was prescribed with a valproic acid (epival) for 3 months. I haven’t had her take the med yet as I am afraid it could trigger a second seizure. Could somebody please tell me his/her experience on taking this particular drug.

Is a first-seizure already an indication that a person may have epilepsy? It's been two weeks now and am going crazy over this. I'm always on the look out she might have second seizure, but thank god there's none. But she's been extra fearful that I couldn't leave her even for a couple of seconds. I've noticed too that she snores during her sleep. She is my one and only and to see her like this is more than I can bear.

Two days before her seizure, my mom and I had a serious fight that she saw. She was very frightened by the scene. Could that trigger the seizure? Or could it be that she slept with a full stomach that's why she had a seizure? How long would the next seizure occur? Since the seizure, I haven’t had the sound sleep that I used to have as I am monitoring her during her sleep.

Please help me with my questions on seizures. Thank you so much and god bless.

Replies(6)

eddie83

replied on April 19th, 2005

New User

Wow! Sounds like you've had a pretty rough couple of weeks. I think it's important that you don't let your daughter know how stressed you are though, because that wouldn't help her out at all. Hopefully I can be of some help to put your mind at rest.
Firstly, you worried me when you said you gave your little girl sugar to bring her round. When someone is having a seizure it is important not to put anything in their mouth, in case they choke on it (or bite your finger!). Secondly, i'm on sodium valproate as well (for the past 18 months) and it has not brought on any seizures. In fact, I usually only have seizures if I forget to take the tablets, so if your neuro has recommended it, i'd say go ahead, or at least get a second opinion if you still don't feel comfortable.
Lastly, a one-off seizure does not necessarily mean that your daughter has epilepsy. Some people have one seizure and are then fine for the rest of their lives. But remember, even if she does have epilepsy, it's not the end of the world, and there will be plenty of help out there for both you and your daughter.
Hope that helps a bit and you can get a good night's sleep soon.

kayakmom

replied on April 19th, 2005

Experienced User

Yes, please just let her recover on her own and put nothing in her mouth...

I hope that the doctors give you some real answers soon. It is so scary to see your child's first seizure....

llp829

replied on April 22nd, 2005

New User

Thanks Guys

Thank you very much eddie for your reply. It helped me a lot.

The reason I gave her sugar during her seizure was I was in the notion that she was food poisoned. It was my first time to witness a seizure and that first-time was with my own daughter, I thought the world ended that night. As for the med, I still haven't had my child take it. It's not that I don't trust the neuro, I just thought I needed to be convinced by a second seizure before I let her take the med. Plus her neuro said the result of the eeg has nothing much 'cept he saw a spike on the right brain wave, and he wasn't sure if it's an indication of something. What didn't come to me as a well-neurologic findings on the eeg was when he told me further there's nothing to lose if she takes the med--i refuse to accept such a reco. For now, I am giving her all the best care a mom could give. I've change her eating habit. I've found a site re ketogenic diet. My friend recommended me to their neurologist for a second opinion. Up to now, my world is still shaking and I am still having difficulty sleeping at night in fear she might have another seizure.

Right now, my daughter is doing okay. Thank god for that.

Kayakmom, i'm sure you know what I am going through right now as you're also a mom like me and I appreciate you replying to my thread. I just hope the administrator would understand if I don't reply to other threads, this is simply because I have nothing helpful and informative to say on the topic. I am trying something on my child and I am giving it three months to know the result. If within three months no seizure occur, then maybe I will then have something to reply to other threads esp. To moms like me whose chil/children suffer the same predicament.

Again thank you eddie and kayakmom. God bless

kayakmom

replied on April 23rd, 2005

Experienced User

Yes, I sure do understand. The admin will not say anything about you not replying to anyone else's thread. It is fine.

Yes, I can sure understand you wanting to wait until a second seizure. That is usually the protocal anyway. Does the neuro know that you want to wait? You should tell him so he realizes where you stand on this.

It is common to have some normal test results and there can still be the possibility of seizures.

Hang in there. It is so terrifying to have that first seizure happen for your child! I have been through that twice with each child.

How is she doing now? Have you now had a chance to learn seizure first aide?
Take care, ginny

llp829

replied on April 24th, 2005

New User

Thanks Kayakmom

I didn't inform the neuro 'bout the not-taking-the-med till am sure I want my baby to take it. The neuro wasn't into taking queries at that time, perhaps he was too busy to entertain any questions.

You said you have been twice with each child. Omg, I am sorry to hear that. I wish I have your courage. But I guess more than the med is the power of prayer. Since then, it pulls me to become closer to my creator. And my faith with my creator is helping my dear daughter not to have another seizure. My daughter is fine, gaining weight, no seizure--thank god for that.

As to the first aide, I don't know. All I know is that I am giving my daughter an apple or two a day instead of the med. I make it a point that she has enough sleep, I make her listen to music every morning. At night, I don't make her sleep with full stomach. I sleep with her and hug her to give her security. Children tend to be nervous of being alone in the dark, so I make sure to give my little sweetie all the assurance in the world by being beside her during sleep.

Once again kayak--thank you very much. You just don't know how your replies are helping me. God bless us all.

darbie05

replied on December 23rd, 2005

New User

Hi
well our son, shane was diagnosed oct 2,05 with epilepsy. I woke up and thought I heard his little brother crying and went to check on the boys and found shane(who is 6) unresponsive and stiff. I did not know what was going on and tried to splash water on his face to "wake" him up and that did not work, so we ran him into our local er. Right before we was going to be released, he had a grand mal seizure in front of the er Dr. We was transported to our local children's hospital 40 min away. Long story short, we was told that since shane has had more than 2 seizures in a week period that he has epilepsy. Since oct 2, he has had about 24 seizures. He has been on 3 differnt meds and we are weaning him off the second and upping the 3rd. So far it has been 13 days with no seizures!!! So we are hoping the new med is working. You might want to ask the dr or your family dr why she was diagnosed with epilepsy with only having one seizure. We was told that cold, stress, flashing lights, tiredness could all bring a seizure on. Good luck. D

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