Childhood is shaped by rapid brain development from the day we are born. During this rapid development process, many brain-related diseases may be encountered. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases in childhood.
Epilepsy is a disease characterized by involuntary movements and/or changes in consciousness in body parts that develop as a result of excessive, abnormal and inappropriate discharge of cells in the brain. When epilepsy, or epilepsy as it is commonly known, comes to mind, people who have lost consciousness, have foaming at the mouth, have clenched teeth, and have recurring convulsions come to mind. However, it can be seen in seizures where only pulling at the corner of the mouth or only blinking of the eyelids without losing consciousness. Another type of seizure we see, especially in school-age children, is absence seizures, in which awareness is impaired, only blank stares or wanderings are observed, and there are no other accompanying findings.
Epilepsy can have many different causes. Brain injuries that develop during pregnancy or birth, head traumas, brain tumors, and strokes can cause epilepsy, and there are also epilepsies of familial genetic origin. In a significant portion of the cases, the underlying cause cannot be determined despite detailed examinations.
The most important criterion in the diagnosis of epilepsy is that clinical findings support epilepsy. Although clinical findings are often tried to be understood by parents' description of the event they saw, video recording of the event with mobile phones or similar electronic devices is very important in diagnosing epilepsy. Additionally, electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and evaluations to investigate metabolic and genetic diseases should be performed according to the age group of our patients to determine the diagnosis and underlying cause.
Many non-epileptic diseases from infancy to adulthood should be performed. In cases of illness, our children are mistakenly diagnosed with epilepsy and may be exposed to unnecessary treatments for many years. Among these diseases that are confused with epilepsy, involuntary arm and leg movements seen during sleep in infancy and tremors seen in the body. attacks or crying and becoming rigid. During childhood and adolescence, epilepsy can be diagnosed in disorders such as some types of fainting, tic disorder, sleep disorders such as sleepwalking and night terrors, dizziness and involuntary spasms, which can actually go away without treatment during the developmental process of our child. The psychological pressure it creates on our children and the negative effects that the drugs used may have on our bodies are important. For this reason, if epilepsy is suspected in our children, it is necessary to consult a pediatric neurologist and decide on the diagnosis of epilepsy after a detailed examination and necessary tests.
After the correct diagnosis in childhood epilepsy, the patient's age and gender are determined as appropriate by the pediatric neurologist. Success rates in treatment with anti-epileptic drugs determined according to seizure type and EEG findings are quite high. Medicines should be used regularly at recommended times and doses. Another factor as effective as epilepsy medications in treatment is a regular life. Adequate fluid intake, regular sleep and nutrition are necessary. In some epilepsy patients, electronic devices such as televisions, phones, tablets and computers can trigger seizures. Restricting screen time contributes to seizure control. Extreme heat and intense sunlight exposure also make seizure control difficult.
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