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Epilepsy in Babies

About 45,000 children in the United States from birth to age 5 are diagnosed with epilepsy each year, according to babycenter.com. Some babies outgrow epilepsy, while others carry the condition throughout their lives. Your baby may grow out of his symptoms, depending on the severity of the epilepsy, timely diagnosis and proper treatment, according to epilepsyfoundation.org. Most babies with epilepsy will have normal growth.

  1. The Facts

    • A baby who is diagnosed with epilepsy has several reoccurring seizures. These seizures are caused by disruptions of electrical activity inside her brain. Epilepsy is sometimes mistaken as a link to mental illness, according to babycenter.com. This condition has nothing to do with mental retardation. The misconception is rooted in the fact that seizures are symptoms of certain disabilities.

    Causes

    • There are two types of epilepsy in babies. Roughly 70% of cases are a result of unknown causes, according to babycenter.com. This is called idiopathic epilepsy. Symptomatic epilepsy is a term for epilepsy that has known causes, such as a head injury. Some researchers believe that epilepsy may even be genetic. In some cases, epilepsy is caused before or during birth as a result of trauma, brain development disorders, infections, tumors and vitamin deficiencies.

    Diagnosis

    • Once you are certain that your baby is having seizures, a doctor will run physical exams to determine whether the seizures are a result of epilepsy. The diagnosis involves a series of tests, including an MRI or CAT scan to look at the brain, blood work, and an EEG to record the electrical activity within the brain. An EEG, or electroencephalogram, is the most common form of diagnosis, according to epilepsyfoundation.org, and measures your baby's electrical brain activity. Several of these tests are likely taken: one while your baby is asleep, one while he is tired, and one while he is wide awake.

    Treatment

    • Your baby's doctor will likely prescribe anti-epileptic drugs to help prevent the seizures. She may also be put on a ketogenic diet, in which she eats low amounts of carbohydrates and protein, and higher amounts of fat. However, if your baby does not respond well to medication, your doctor may recommend brain surgery.

    Prevention/Solution

    • If your baby is prescribed medication, be sure that he takes it in a timely manner. Also, be sure to follow any specific diets that his doctor recommends. Record any seizures and see if there are any patterns. For example, if you find that your baby has seizures when he gets overly excited, minimize the activities that lead him to that state.

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