Signs & Symptoms of Epilepsy | Epilepsy

Speaker 1: Seizures can present in many different ways, and I think that's what can be so confusing. In little babies they can just be quick little jerks, or startles, or what even looks like baby reflexes. In older children they can be very unusual headaches, episodes of falling asleep very quickly and easily, falling to the ground, jerking, twitching, gurgling sounds, so I think you can't even describe only one way a seizure can present. It can present in many different ways.

Speaker 2: I think the ones that get missed most often are the children that may have attentional issues. Parents or teachers will say they're zoning out, they're missing things. Little times when their eyes roll up or their eyes turn to the side that may be so brief and quick that they don't notice it. The other big one that gets missed is babies that they're written off as having reflux or spitting up, and they're actually having seizures.

Speaker 1: I think parents are really good to know when something seems different about their children. And if they have a worry I think it's important to discuss it with their pediatrician about what they think is different about the child.

Speaker 2: And I also think that even if people are saying to them, this is nothing don't worry about it, it's always useful to forge forward and make sure that you go on to see a neurologist or a specialist just to take another look. What we like to do is have people videotape these events that they're worried about. Then they come in with a movie or a video of what they're looking at, and that's very helpful. Because we can often just look at it and tell is that really suspicious for a seizure, is that just weird baby movements, or a child not paying attention in school. We still go ahead and do the work up, but that's a good starting point.

Speaker 1: So, basically, seizures can present in many different ways - staring, zoning out, spacing, jerking, twitching. As a parent, if you feel something is unusual or different bring it up to your pediatrician. Videotaping it with your cell phone to show the doctor what you see and what you're worried about is probably the best way to communicate what you're seeing and what's so unusual.

[mamad]

Some symptoms some may have as well:

-Leg kicking/spazzing (one or both)
-Flexing Fingers, constant knuckle cracking.
-rapid eye movement, blinking rapidly.
-Feeling of heart burn, headache/migraine.
-spacing off, forgetting where you are/what day it is.
-memory loss, sometimes severe. / memory alterations.
-Tongue Biting/skin picking
-paranoia, body numbness
-walking, vision fade, fall, spasm full body. (In that order)
-constant light headedness, tiredness.

Are just some examples of a seizure/warning signs of one happening.

[queenelsa]

My seizure is a stare now and jerking my head falls down automatically

[micaturtle]

I agree. My fiancé has been recently diagnosed with epilepsy (she's 34), and it seems the majority of things I find reference children. I always wonder "well does this apply to her too, since she's an adult?"

[RosaStars]

I have epilepsy. I see flashing colors and patterns, I zone out and can't hold my head weight, and if I have a seziure, one of my legs or hands will shake uncontrollably.

[aqeelanaeem]

my baby has an epilepsy last month it dignose now he is 6 month old I'm disturb when he start to hold his neck . He has no eye context with me. what do you say ? he would be a normal chaild?

[arthurburns]

Can someone tell me what tipe of seizure i take its like a violent shaking and heavy breathing and dizzy nice

[EmilyCouture]

I had epilepsy from when I was 5 to 12. But I got the right medicine and never had a major seizer. I was just space out for 3 seconds and lick my lips.

[nirajanpradhan]

Even the same symptoms can occur in adults too

[PockASqueeno]

Adults have seizures too...why are you singling out children and babies?

[freeteaching]

first time eppilepsi can control in 60 age