A seizure can be scary for both children and parents. Seizure refers to a sudden malfunction in the brain, causing a child to collapse and convulse, often with a loss or change in consciousness. According to Children's Hospital Boston, approximately 3 percent to 5 percent of all children experience a seizure before the child's first birthday.
Cause
A lack of oxygen or reduction in blood flow to the brain may result in seizure. Seizures can be caused by fainting, resulting in a decrease in blow flow to the brain, or abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Other causes are low blood sugar, infection, accidental poisoning, drug overdose or a head injury. A seizure may also be due to a brain tumor or other brain problems.
Symptoms
There are a variety of signs your child may be having a seizure. These signs include uncontrollable muscle spasms, loss of consciousness, uncontrolled urination or bowel movement and an unusual sensation or twitching. Other symptoms are staring, jerking movements, breathing problems, falling suddenly, appearing confused, nodding the head and rapid eye blinking.
Focal Seizures
A focal seizure occurs when abnormal electrical brain function occurs in one side of the brain. This seizure typically lasts less than one minute. Symptoms of a focal seizure include strange feelings including visual changes, hearing abnormalities, or changes in the sense of smell.
Generalized Seizures
A generalized seizure involves both sides of the brain. This includes febrile seizures, which can occur in children when they develop a medium or high fever, above 100.4 F. These seizures are brief and usually do not cause any life-threatening or long term problems. Children under 5 years old may have a seizure caused by an exaggerated reflex when they are hurt or emotionally upset and they stop taking breaths. They often turn blue, pass out and may have a full convulsion-like seizure. This seizure will usually stop on its own and your child most likely will not suffer any harm. Atonic seizures result in a sudden loss of muscle tone and your child may fall or suddenly drop her head. The child becomes limp and unresponsive. Myoclonic seizures cause jerking of a group of muscles and may occur several times a day.
What To Do
If your child is having a seizure you should place your child on the floor in a safe area, preferable on his right side. Loosen any clothing around the neck and do not attempt to restrain movement. Do not try to keep your child's mouth open or place anything in his mouth. After the seizure you should comfort your child. If your child is having difficulty breathing, turns blue, has a head injury, or may have ingested poisons you should call 911.
Considerations
If your child has more than one seizure or is having seizures over and over, it may be due to epilepsy. Epilepsy is a disease affecting the central nervous system causing electrical signals of the brain to misfire. This causes communication problems between nerve cells, resulting in seizures. According to Kids Health, more than 2.5 million Americans have epilepsy. The majority of new diagnoses of epilepsy are in children. Two-thirds of all children with epilepsy usually outgrow the seizures by their teens.
