Seizures in children

Seizures can either be focal or generalized.

Focal seizures

Focal seizures are also called partial seizures and occur in one area or several areas on the same side of the brain. Auras sometimes occur before these seizures as a warning that they are about to occur, similar to what might occur in a migraine. Examples of auras include feelings like déjà vu, fear, or euphoria or sensations like changes to your vision, hearing or pins and needles. Focal seizures can either be simple or complex (causing unusual movements and behaviors).

Simple focal seizures

• in simple focal seizures, the abnormal electrical activity occurs in a specific area of one hemisphere of the brain
• the person remains conscious and aware during the seizure
• symptoms are often localized, affecting specific muscles or sensory areas
• common manifestations include muscle jerking, tingling sensations, or changes in vision, taste, or smell
• duration of a simple focal seizure is usually brief, lasting only a few seconds to a couple of minutes

Complex focal seizures

• in contrast, complex focal seizures involve abnormal electrical activity in a specific area of the brain, but they also affect consciousness
• during a complex focal seizure, a person may experience altered awareness or responsiveness
• the individual may exhibit automatic, repetitive behaviors known as automatism, such as lip-smacking, picking at clothes, or wandering aimlessly
• postictal confusion or memory loss may follow a complex focal seizure, leaving the person disoriented or with gaps in memory
• the duration of complex focal seizures can vary but often lasts longer than simple focal seizures

Generalized seizures

Generalized seizures, on the other hand, occur on both sides of the brain. Your child will lose consciousness and go through a very tired phase, called the post-ictal phase. Subtypes of generalized seizures include absence seizures, where there is no visible fitting or loss of consciousness, but your child stares into space and doesn’t respond to you; atonic seizures, where there is sudden loss of muscle tone causing a fall; generalized tonic-clonic seizures, what most people think of as the rigid and jerking movements of arms, body and legs; and myoclonic seizures, with sudden jerks of muscles.

In many cases, the cause of a seizure is unknown. Certain head trauma can cause it, such as a brain injury at birth or later, in an accident, an infection such as meningitis, a fever in what is called a febrile convulsion, or rarely a stroke or a brain tumor.

High and low blood sugar and recreational drug use can also cause seizure activity.

The symptoms depend on which area of the brain is affected and the type of seizure. Symptoms that should alert you to a possible seizure include: going stiff or rigid or jerking movements of the arms and legs, loss of consciousness, soiling themself with urine or feces, a sudden unexpected fall or loss of muscle tone, confusion, staring absentmindedly, not responding for brief periods, and you may notice something subtle during this time such as a twitching eye muscle.

After a seizure, they may feel tired, sleepy, or confused, especially if they have lost consciousness. It's unlikely they will remember anything about it, and they may wonder where they are and look quite dazed for half an hour or an hour afterward.

Seeing a seizure is traumatic for any bystander, let alone if it’s your own child. Try to stay calm, get help as needed, and the call operator will talk you through how to ensure they are positioned safely so they can’t choke and don’t injure themselves. You may be given medications to bring a seizure to a close if your child has repeated seizures – it will get easier to deal with them as you get more confident.

If your child has had a seizure for the first time, you should immediately go to the emergency department. If they continue to seize, you should call for an ambulance.

Once in the emergency department, the doctor will ask about what led up to the seizure – were they unwell, had a fever or watched something exciting with lots of flashing lights? The doctor will examine their nervous system and take their vital signs, like their temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate. They may request a urine sample and blood tests, look for any markers of infection, and measure sugar levels. Depending on the suspected cause, a sample of spinal fluid may be taken too. Your child will most likely be sent for a brain scan.

A specialist called a neurologist might also recommend an investigation called an electroencephalogram (or EEG), which looks at the electrical activity in the brain.

The treatment of seizures depends on the cause. Treating any underlying cause is imperative, such as an infection in the brain like meningitis or a brain tumor, if appropriate.

Otherwise, managing symptoms by reducing seizure activity is how anti-epileptic medications work. They are taken daily to prevent seizures. You may be given medications to bring a seizure to a close if your team thinks that’s best. You will have a management plan and may not need to go to the emergency department every time if your child has ongoing epilepsy. Your child’s neurology team will closely monitor them and be on hand for regular follow-ups.

It's important to take heart that your child may grow out of seizures, such as febrile convulsions and sometimes epilepsy. Treating any cause like infection may mean that they have no ongoing seizure problems.