Epilepsy treatment for kids

Epilepsy is a condition caused by periods of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The disruption of brain signals leads to a seizure. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, more than 2.7 million people in the U.S. have epilepsy. Roughly 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Epilepsy is slightly more common in males, African-Americans and socially disadvantaged populations.

Epilepsy is typically classified into two categories of seizures: generalized seizures and partial seizures. Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain and lead to a loss of consciousness. They are further classified into one of four types: absence seizures, atonic seizures, myoclonic seizures and tonic clonic seizures. Absence seizures (petit mal seizures) are brief lapses of awareness that usually only last a few seconds.

Since they are very brief, the seizures are often unnoticed. A patient may have a blank stare and be temporarily unresponsive. Absence seizures are more common in children. Atonic seizures (drop attacks) cause a sudden loss of muscle tone and collapse. Since the symptoms occur without warning, patients are at risk for serious injuries from a fall. Myoclonic seizures are brief, rapid contractions of muscles, causing sudden jerks.

The condition usually affects both sides of the body at the same time. Generalized tonic clonic seizures (grand mal seizures) initially cause stiffening (tonic phase) and breathing disruptions (including breathing cessation). The symptoms are followed by limb and facial jerking and a return of breathing. Generalized tonic clonic seizures are the most common type of generalized seizure. Some patients may only experience the tonic phase and others only the clonic phase of the seizure.

Partial seizures are those that affect one side of the brain. They are the common type of seizure and are subdivided into simple partial seizures and complex partial seizures. Simple partial seizures don’t cause a loss of consciousness, but a patient may not be able to respond during seizure activity. It can affect movement (shaking of a hand or foot or tongue or eye movement), emotions (sudden sense of fear, rage or joy) or sensation (unusual taste sounds, sights, smells or skin touch).

Complex partial seizures affect a larger area of the brain and cause an altered state of consciousness. Although a patient may be appear to be awake, he/she is unable to respond and is completely unaware of what’s happening. A patient may pick at clothing (or try to remove clothes), mumble, wander or cry out. Treating Epilepsy in Children About 326,000 patients with epilepsy are 14 and under.

The primary treatment for epilepsy is medication to prevent onset of seizures. About 90 percent of patients can be successfully treated with drugs. However, every patient responds to medication differently. Not all drugs work and some cause undesired side effects (like dizziness, stomach upset, sleepiness, inability to concentrate and weight gain. It can take several trials of different medication (and trying various doses) to find one that works without too many side effects.

The FDA has recently approved the use of three medications for children four and older: Topamax® (topiramate), Trileptal® (oxcarbazepine) and Keppra® (levetiracetam). The addition of these medications provide doctors with more choices in prescribing safer, effective drugs to children with epilepsy with less risk of side effects.

The Epilepsy Foundation estimates 70 percent of patients with epilepsy eventually go into remission (i.e., stop having seizures). Once patients have been seizure-free for two or more years, doctors may try to discontinue medication. If the patient no longer has seizures, medications may be permanently stopped.