Seizures in children are not necessarily epilepsy - here's the medical explanation

Watching your little one have a seizure for the first time is sure to worry you. The reason is, seizures are often associated with epilepsy conditions. Are seizures always a sign of epilepsy in children? When was the child's seizure declared an epileptic condition? Find out the answers to the following symptoms of epilepsy in babies and children.

Symptoms of epilepsy in children

Epilepsy or epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder that causes abnormal brain activity.

Quoted from the Indonesian Pediatric Association, this condition is the most common nervous system disorder and is quite common in infants and children.

When epilepsy appears, the first major symptom is seizures. However, not all seizures indicate epilepsy.

Children without epilepsy are most likely to have had seizures. This is because seizures are caused by electrical bursts in the brain that interfere with brain activity.

Most children have had seizures, normally only once. Usually these seizures occur in children aged 6 months to 5 years.

When this condition occurs, the child can make movements, such as tapping hands and feet and losing consciousness for about 30 seconds or longer for about 2 minutes.

Another symptom of epilepsy in a child is when he has two or more repeated seizures with no known cause.

Disorders that occur due to symptoms of epilepsy in children

There are two types of epilepsy that can be experienced by children that affect the type of seizure, namely:

Primary seizures, involving both sides of the brain
Focal seizures, involving one side of the brain but can spread to the other

This is what makes the symptoms of epilepsy in children vary because it depends on which part of the brain is affected.

The following disorders can occur due to symptoms of epilepsy in children, such as:

Sensory disturbances: tingling, numbness, changes in the senses
Abnormal disorders: stiff posture, loss of consciousness and breathing
Abnormal behavior: confusion, looks scared

When are seizures diagnosed as a symptom of epilepsy?

Seizures that occur without cause and more than once can be considered as a symptom of epilepsy in children.

In addition to stomping your feet or hands, seizures can also be characterized by a blank stare focused on a single point.

Maybe you often see that seizures as a symptom or sign of epilepsy will also make your child's mouth foam.

However, not everyone will experience the same symptoms of epilepsy. This depends on which part of the brain disorder occurs.

Then, seizures are also not always marked by jerking of the feet or hands.

There are many variations of seizures as a sign or sign of epilepsy that may occur in children, such as:

The limbs stiffen as if they cannot be moved
There is a sensation of twitching in the eye or part of the face
The child looks dazed or daydreaming for a few moments then loses consciousness
The child suddenly fell as if he had lost his strength
Experiencing breathing problems even to the point of stopping

How to diagnose symptoms of epilepsy in children?

When you see your child experiencing epileptic symptoms such as seizures for the first time, take the child to the doctor.

Children will get proper care and the possibility of various unwanted things can be prevented.

In addition, you will certainly be calmer after consulting with experts.

An anti-seizure medication may be prescribed if the child is at risk for recurring seizures.

Your little one may be recommended for further medical tests, such as:

Blood test.Check for signs of infection, genetic conditions, or possible diseases other than epilepsy.
Neurological (nerve) examination.Test the child's motor skills, mental function, and behavior to determine the type of epilepsy.
Electroencephalogram (EEG).The most common test for diagnosing epilepsy is by attaching electrodes to the scalp to see brain activity.
Imaging tests, such as CT scans and MRIs.This test is done to determine which area of the brain is experiencing problems.

This medical test is done not only to get a diagnosis, but also to determine the type of epilepsy medication, the type of epilepsy, and the prognosis of the disease.

If your child is declared positive for having epilepsy, he should take anti-seizure medication.

According to the page of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association, most of the symptoms of epilepsy in children require treatment for 2 years until they are finally seizure-free.

It was also explained that the recurrence rate of seizures will be smaller if your child takes medication for 2 to 3 years.

If on the EEG reexamination there are still seizure waves, then treatment should be continued until seizure-free.