A baby's seizure is a sudden involuntary condition that can lead to muscle twitching, neurological failures and loss of consciousness. The cause of this is a dysfunction of the nerve cells in the brain, which emit incorrect signals and impulses. A seizure can be limited to one area of the body (focal) or it can spread further and affect the entire body (generalized). One speaks of a seizure disorder, a so-called epilepsy, if more than 2 events have occurred without an identifiable cause.
Read more on the topic: epilepsy
The causes of the occurrence of a seizure in the baby are very diverse. They are the result of abnormal, uncontrolled discharges from nerve cells in the brain. In addition to a hereditary predisposition, the causes of this sudden disturbance of brain activity can primarily be various damage to the brain from accidents, a long-term lack of oxygen, inflammatory changes as a result of meningitis, medication, other toxic substances or congenital malformations. Malignant tumors that cause seizures are rare in babies. A sudden increase in fever, flickering light, sleep deprivation or even poisoning have an intensifying effect.
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Sturge-Weber syndrome can also be a cause of seizures and epilepsies in small children, which is a malformation of the nervous system and the skin.
Spastic cerebral palsy also leads to seizures in premature babies. This is a damage to the brain.
After a vaccination, the babies are confronted with the usual side effects, such as fever, fatigue, poor drinking and a possible mild flu-like infection. However, if the fever rises too quickly, a seizure may develop. This type of seizure is known as a febrile seizure, which often occurs in babies between the ages of 6 months and 7 years and is usually uncomplicated.
Read more on the topic: Fever in baby
A baby's seizure can sometimes be triggered by crying. This is what is known as an affect convulsion. They usually appear in the first or second year of life and are triggered by anxiety or extreme excitement. If the baby cries a lot and just cannot calm down, the baby's face will turn blue and the baby's lips will turn pale from not getting enough air with oxygen. Due to the acute lack of oxygen, the babies are momentarily unresponsive and sometimes the extremities twitch at the end of the event, which appear like a seizure.
$config[ads_text2] not foundBabies and adults can have cramps in the abdomen. This leads to tension in the musculature of the organs, which leads to wave-like or cramp-like pain. In addition to disturbances in the fluid or electrolyte balance, the main cause of such cramps can be food intolerance. In babies, these abdominal discomfort mainly occur in the first three months of life in combination with strong crying and are known as three-month colic.
You might also be interested in this topic: Colic for three months
A febrile seizure or a fever-related seizure occurs when a child between 6 months and 5 years of age has a cerebral seizure (affecting the cerebrum) while the temperature is over 38 ° C.
Seizures that occurred after an epileptic seizure or that occurred due to inflammation of the central nervous system must be excluded. Around 3% of children in Germany suffer from febrile seizures, mostly in the course of their second year of life.
It is known that the convulsions occur as the fever rises, since the convulsive threshold is lowered at this point in time. The exact cause has not yet been found out. Depending on the severity, a distinction is made between uncomplicated and complicated febrile seizures. The uncomplicated febrile seizure occurs once between the 6th month and the 5th year of life within 24 hours, lasting a total of 15 minutes. The complicated febrile seizure takes place beyond these times and can result in speech disorders directly following the cramp.
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$config[ads_text3] not foundDepending on the cause, various symptoms can be observed during a seizure. Sometimes there are signs such as headache, dizziness, irritability, nausea or changes in sensory perception. Muscle twitching, grimacing or rolling eyes may be observed during the seizure. In addition to vomiting, it can also lead to wetting, defecation, vocalisation, increased salivation or a tongue bite. Sometimes the babies may also hear a moan or a short cry. Respiratory arrest and a brief loss of consciousness are also possible during the seizure. After the seizures, babies can often appear very sleepy and exhausted. In some cases, seizures can be relatively silent, so that you hardly notice them at all.
Taking a detailed medical history with the help of the parents is of particular importance in diagnosing seizures in babies. When and how often do the seizures occur, are they triggers, how long do they last, what are the symptoms, what additional symptoms are there, and is there a family history. This is followed by a physical exam. By measuring brain waves using electroencephalography (EEG), the brain's readiness for cramps and possible seizure-specific changes can be shown. A derivation of the EEG during sleep, over the whole day or during exercise can provide further information. If a structural or tumorous change is suspected, imaging using a skull MRI can be performed. An examination of the cranial nerve water is carried out to rule out meningitis or other inflammatory changes.
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Seizures in children are difficult to distinguish from other diseases with similar symptoms, which is why a precise description and inquiry of the occurrence are essential.
An infection can also lead to a harmless loss of consciousness for about 10-20 seconds with cramping of the emtremities (convulsive syncope), which make the child twitch. Fever delirium, when children behave and move around strangely, also cause concern.
In addition, chills can also be misinterpreted as twitching during a rise in temperature. Here the muscle tone is increased, but in contrast to generalized seizures, the children are fully conscious. There are also REM sleep behavior disorders that are associated with abnormal movement. In addition, the Moro reflex, also known as the clasping reflex, can be triggered in infants up to the 4th month. This is shown by spreading your arms, spreading your fingers and opening your mouth as soon as the child jerks backwards out of the seat.
Typical for a seizure are rhythmic twitching, rolling eyes, open eyelids and leakage of urine. If you are unsure about the child's twitching, you should definitely consult a doctor. This can then initiate further examinations such as an EEG and a blood sample.
In most cases, an inpatient stay is necessary for clarification and extensive diagnostics. Depending on the cause of the seizure, appropriate therapy is then initiated. In the case of inflammatory changes, such as inflammation of the meninges, antibiotic or antiviral therapy is started, depending on the pathogen.
Read more on the topic: Inflammation of the meninges
In order to adequately treat a convulsive disorder, in the form of epilepsy, antiepileptic therapy is initiated. The drugs used have the effect of suppressing the seizures and ensuring that there are no seizures. Since these drugs, like all other drugs, have some side effects, you should start with only one preparation. It is also important to have a child neurologist regularly check whether the dose of the drug is sufficient and a sufficient level of effectiveness is achieved. If one preparation is insufficient, another can be added in consultation with the attending physician. In rare cases, babies do not respond to drug therapy. If a mass is the cause of the seizures, surgical therapy may be necessary. If the seizures are triggered by factors such as stress, fever, sleep deprivation or flashes of light, one should try to avoid these factors or counteract them as early as possible.
$config[ads_text1] not foundSeizures in babies can have a different prognosis depending on the cause. Febrile or emotional seizures usually do not cause any consequential damage and the seizures will cease over time. Rapid treatment is necessary for seizures caused by inflammatory changes. If the therapy is started on time, no sequelae are usually to be expected. In most cases, seizures as part of a convulsive disorder also do not lead to developmental damage. With a sufficient medication, the babies can live largely free of seizures and, depending on the form, the seizures cease as they grow.
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