We think my nephew might have epilepsy

[Panacik]

So firstly, i think this post is more aimed at anyone who has or knows people that have epilepsy.

Well we THINK my 5 year old nephew may be having epileptic fits, but are not 100% sure. He will be sitting and\or running around like a normal child, then will suddenly stop. His eyes kind of glaze over, he goes red in the face and you can see that he cant move or control his limbs.

He then bursts in to tears and you can see he is absolutely scared ****less.

Afterwards though, he remembers what he was feeling. He says that it felt like ants running around his head and that his heart was going to pop out of his chest. He said that he sees strange things like the cusions on the seats being bigger than giants etc and lots of flashing lights like lightning.

My sister has taken him to the doctors and has shown the doctor a video of what is happening to him. The doctor said it looks like a fit of sorts, even though he is not on the ground throwing his body around like you would expect an epileptic to do, so has reffered him to a peadiatrician.

My mum works in a doctors and they said that it may be a fit, but not 100% epilepsy, as he likely wouldnt remember having the fit or the feelings of the fit after the event. So this leads us to believe he might have some kind of tumour or something :'(.

Of course this is ALL speculation, but i wonder if it sounds familiar to people or if someone might have ideas as to what it is... We currently have up to 3 weeks just for the appointment with the specialists to come through :(

[ozgeek]

Sounds like some sort of fit he might be having. Maybe an onset of the normal fit.

Have he been eating well enough? Drinking plenty water?

[Guest]

i am epileptic my self, but my fits where not like that. Mine is under control with medication now. All i remember of mine is feeling sick and my vision going slow. Then the next thing i can remember is waking up in the back of an ambulance with my tongue being bitten all up.

Its not a nice thing to have happen at any age, but to a five year old is not fair at all. The National Society for Epilepsy http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/ they have info on there. And they have a forum as well. This might be a good place for your nephew's parents to look, they have a "for parents" section that might be able to help them. I hope they sort him out soon.

[buckboii]

go to a doctor asap. Its a serious matter. Its also very dangerous to have. Good luck.

[_bobcat_ Veteran]

......

My sister has taken him to the doctors and has shown the doctor a video of what is happening to him. The doctor said it looks like a fit of sorts, even though he is not on the ground throwing his body around like you would expect an epileptic to do, so has reffered him to a peadiatrician.

....

"Grande mal" seizures where you shake about on the floor are not the only type of fit you can have and I think they are in fact quite rare. There is a of variety of types of fits, as crazy as it sounds.

Some people just glaze over and go "out of it" for a few seconds, then they are fine, for example, with no drama at all. I was once shown a video of someone having another type of fit where the man was standing and moving around in a strange manner, though he was not actually in control of his body and dropped the hot drink he was holding :/ The frequency of fits can vary as well, from very occasionally to every few seconds or minutes.

While this does sound a bit like a fit from what I know of them (as someone who of course is not a trained medical professional), obviously it could be caused by any number of things which will be why he's had this referral. I hope they can diagnose it quickly as that will hopefully enable treatment and reduce anxiety.

I believe medication can control it for many people but I've never really looked into the treatments for it. I think websites like the link posted will be your best bet for reliable information.

In the meantime, it might also be prudent for you all to research the best ways of coping with these fits so as to minimise harm and anxiety for your nephew..

[DrunkenMaster]

Go see a neurologist or get a referral to see one. Its the best option. If a GP helps with diagnoses without a referal then you are just not getting the best possible treatment.

I was diagnosed with it. As to wether I actually have it or not is being debated right now with a neurologist. So if I have it, its been 10 years. I'm also on the lowest does of meds my neurologist has pretty much ever prescribed. So that said, I'm very lucky.

I do remember somewhat what happened before I had a grand mal some of which is characteristic of all people who've had such a seizure. I've had episodes. There's the obvious flinching of the arms - which you can't control. I used to think mind over matter, but its not so unfortunately.

Some of the symptoms you've described I know I've have had (and still sometimes do, for me its really the meds). I know I get the glazed eyes/look there's been the odd time where I've had it. I've actually had it to the point where I see some stars momentarily and I feel like I'm floating a bit and disoriented. But the rest, stopping and turning red doesn't sound like something I've experienced or familiar hearing w/epilepsy.

That said, tell his/her parents to see a neurologist. I got bounced around by GPs even though I asked before having the seizure that I see a neurologist. I was getting all kinds of these episodes sans seizure. Even if it isn't a brain disorder, the good thing is many also specialize or are quite familiar with muscular and neck/back problems too. This should help. Please tell them not to Google the diagnoses or look up in medical books.

Grand Mals hurt like a ******. I've never experienced as much pain in my life until the 3 or 6 months after it happened - i was still hurting for that long after. I'm glad I wasn't killed. Luckily too, *some* kids do outgrow it. I only got mine in early adulthood.

I wish the kid the best! Its a shame sometimes too....when you visit the Sick Kids hospital and see what hell those poor kids under 10 are going through. We should all feel fortunate for what we have.

[Panacik]

Sounds like some sort of fit he might be having. Maybe an onset of the normal fit.

Have he been eating well enough? Drinking plenty water?

Absolutely eating and drinking fine.

i am epileptic my self, but my fits where not like that. Mine is under control with medication now. All i remember of mine is feeling sick and my vision going slow. Then the next thing i can remember is waking up in the back of an ambulance with my tongue being bitten all up.

Its not a nice thing to have happen at any age, but to a five year old is not fair at all. The National Society for Epilepsy http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/ they have info on there. And they have a forum as well. This might be a good place for your nephew's parents to look, they have a "for parents" section that might be able to help them. I hope they sort him out soon.

I have a video of the "fit". He certainly isnt himself and as Laura says below, he just seems to be acting strange and has no control of his body etc. :(

"Grande mal" seizures where you shake about on the floor are not the only type of fit you can have and I think they are in fact quite rare. There is a of variety of types of fits, as crazy as it sounds.

Some people just glaze over and go "out of it" for a few seconds, then they are fine, for example, with no drama at all. I was once shown a video of someone having another type of fit where the man was standing and moving around in a strange manner, though he was not actually in control of his body and dropped the hot drink he was holding :/ The frequency of fits can vary as well, from very occasionally to every few seconds or minutes.

While this does sound a bit like a fit from what I know of them (as someone who of course is not a trained medical professional), obviously it could be caused by any number of things which will be why he's had this referral. I hope they can diagnose it quickly as that will hopefully enable treatment and reduce anxiety.

I believe medication can control it for many people but I've never really looked into the treatments for it. I think websites like the link posted will be your best bet for reliable information.

In the meantime, it might also be prudent for you all to research the best ways of coping with these fits so as to minimise harm and anxiety for your nephew..

Thanks. I am sure its some type of fit, but to be honest im not sure what to research. We still dont have confirmation that he is fitting and we dont know if it would be epilepsy or some type of tumour etc...

What i was hoping is that someone might be able to say 100% sure, "thats what i have and it is connected to this". I guess thats kind of clutching at straws on my part :(

[Barney T. Administrators]

Laura is right. There are lots of types of seizures from the larger ones (Grand Mal) to smaller exhibiting ones (Petit Mal). Sounds like the Petit Mal is more like what he has. Also seizures have a post recovery phase canned "post ictal" where the patient just goes to sleep before awaking. Your neurologist needs to assess this in greater detail.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000696.htm

Good luck Rich and my thoughts are with your nephew!

[Panacik]

Laura is right. There are lots of types of seizures from the larger ones (Grand Mal) to smaller exhibiting ones (Petit Mal). Sounds like the Petit Mal is more like what he has. Also seizures have a post recovery phase canned "post ictal" where the patient just goes to sleep before awaking. Your neurologist needs to assess this in greater detail.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000696.htm

Good luck Rich and my thoughts are with your nephew!

Thanks Barney. Yeah the "fits" last approximatly 5 - 10 minutes and afterward he spends about 5 - 10 minutes laid out exhausted. Then he suddenly gets up and runs around like a nutter as usual as though nothing has happened.

My sister wonders if it is related to tiredness as she is keeping a diary of the events and has noted that its usually between 5pm or 7pm in the evening and a couple of times at 7am. There have been a few times at mid afternoon and usually when he has been running around exhausting himself out.

Its so frustrating that we need to wait up to 3 weeks for the referral to go through and then only for him to be pre assessed before they start to really start to look in to it in more detail. I would say its worse because he is such a young child and is so scared. I mean i would be scared to have it happen to me, but for a child of his age to go through this must be devistating!

[nokiaxion]

I have epilepsy since a year ago. It is a bitch and does alot of psycological damage (in my case)

Im the type that just knocks out and gets up without having any clue of what just happened (I wake up in the hospital or in my bed with a cut bleeding). Before each attack, I remember having strong conflicts with emotions (love or friends) or when Im thinking hard (my first attack happened a bit after playing Portal. I played Portal: Prelude yesterday, got a headache, got very scared, went to bed, and slept)

It is very very frustrating when you dont know what happens when you wake up. Im on my fifth. And, as a matter of fact, Im having a headache today now during class and Im pretty worried one might happen now. But oh well.....

Also on a sidenote, today at might Im going to play Portal: Prelude again and Im going to try again and see if I get use to it and can "fight" it somehow....It is not a good idea but oh well....It is very depressing and after passing your written exam but having being classed with epilepsy and not being able to take the drivers exam 100% since it is not legal to drive here (and besides while in a dri

I believe your nephew might not have it right now but will develop it further on in his young life

[Dane]

So firstly, i think this post is more aimed at anyone who has or knows people that have epilepsy.

Well we THINK my 5 year old nephew may be having epileptic fits, but are not 100% sure. He will be sitting and\or running around like a normal child, then will suddenly stop. His eyes kind of glaze over, he goes red in the face and you can see that he cant move or control his limbs.

He then bursts in to tears and you can see he is absolutely scared ****less.

Afterwards though, he remembers what he was feeling. He says that it felt like ants running around his head and that his heart was going to pop out of his chest. He said that he sees strange things like the cusions on the seats being bigger than giants etc and lots of flashing lights like lightning.

My sister has taken him to the doctors and has shown the doctor a video of what is happening to him. The doctor said it looks like a fit of sorts, even though he is not on the ground throwing his body around like you would expect an epileptic to do, so has reffered him to a peadiatrician.

My mum works in a doctors and they said that it may be a fit, but not 100% epilepsy, as he likely wouldnt remember having the fit or the feelings of the fit after the event. So this leads us to believe he might have some kind of tumour or something :'(.

Of course this is ALL speculation, but i wonder if it sounds familiar to people or if someone might have ideas as to what it is... We currently have up to 3 weeks just for the appointment with the specialists to come through :(

Sounds like what my soon to be g/f has. She doesn't cry after that, she just "spaces out" .

[Panacik]

I have epilepsy since a year ago. It is a bitch and does alot of psycological damage (in my case)

Im the type that just knocks out and gets up without having any clue of what just happened (I wake up in the hospital or in my bed with a cut bleeding). Before each attack, I remember having strong conflicts with emotions (love or friends) or when Im thinking hard (my first attack happened a bit after playing Portal. I played Portal: Prelude yesterday, got a headache, got very scared, went to bed, and slept)

It is very very frustrating when you dont know what happens when you wake up. Im on my fifth. And, as a matter of fact, Im having a headache today now during class and Im pretty worried one might happen now. But oh well.....

Also on a sidenote, today at might Im going to play Portal: Prelude again and Im going to try again and see if I get use to it and can "fight" it somehow....It is not a good idea but oh well....It is very depressing and after passing your written exam but having being classed with epilepsy and not being able to take the drivers exam 100% since it is not legal to drive here (and besides while in a dri

I believe your nephew might not have it right now but will develop it further on in his young life

Hold on. You have been told you have epilepsy and you sound like its pretty out of control... Are you not on medication to control it? Im pretty sure also doing things to trigger a fit cannot be healthy on the brain at all :s

Sounds like what my soon to be g/f has. She doesn't cry after that, she just "spaces out" .

My newphew cries during and after. During the attack he cries in a strange way. As though he is crying but fighting or something, its hard to explain, but is not a usual cry. Its kind of like a squeek.

Afterward he does cry normally and relaxes... But he is 5, so you cant blame him for crying...