Understanding Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a term used to describe recurrent seizures. Depending on the type and severity of the disorder, seizures can occur frequently throughout the day or sporadically every few months. The seizure itself occurs due a strong burst of electrical impulses in the brain. This burst interrupts the normal flow of electrical charges passing through the nerve cells in the brain that control your body's functions. The seizure is considered a symptom of an underlying condition. However, many cases of childhood epilepsy do not have a definitive cause.
Febrile Seizures
Febrile seizures typically occur in children between the ages of 3 months and 5 years, accounting for approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of children who develop epilepsy later in life, according to Neurology Health Place. Febrile seizures are common, affecting 3 percent of children under the age of 5. Though frightening, this type of seizure doesn't last long and generally has no negative, long-term effect on children.
Vaccinations
When a child experiences a seizure after receiving a vaccination, it is typically a result of the fever that can develop as a side effect. At one time, there was a concern that the DTP vaccination might be a trigger for epilepsy, according to Neurology Health Place. However, researchers have suggested that children experiencing epileptic episodes following the vaccination are already predisposed to epilepsy and that the vaccination revealed the issue rather than causing it.
Viral Infections
The health experts at Neurology Health Place reported that a study, conducted in 2001, involving 22 children experiencing convulsions on a regular basis, showed that they suffered from numerous pediatric viruses. Herpesvirus 6, a common virus in children, was associated the most with severe seizures in children. This is due, in part, to the condition stemming from the virus roseola infantum. Though basically harmless, it is a condition that comes on suddenly, causing high fever and a skin rash.
Hydrocephalus
This condition occurs most frequently in newborns and infants, resulting in fluid that accumulates in the brain. This excess fluid leads to swelling of the brain and can cause damage to its tissues. Though hydrocephalus itself is not directly related to epilepsy in children, the shunt used to treat the condition might be.
A shunt is inserted into the brain, allowing excess fluid to drain to other areas of the body, reducing swelling in the brain. In 2001, a correlation was made between children with shunts and the occurence of seizures; between 20 percent and 50 percent of children with shunts were prone to epilepsy. Before this can be a definitive cause, it is believed that further research needs to be conducted.
