Causes of seizures?

[SandrA9810]

my experience with seizures and doctors, is they're worthless until like the 3rd or 4th time it happens.
I had one in high school, just got out of school for the day at like noon. I was standing in line at subway to get food and blacked out (plus i had breakfast at school like 3hrs earlier, a bagel). Of course they called 911 and i spent the next 4hrs in the ER sleeping it off. Don't know how many tests were run, but they turned up with nothing. Followed up by my pedatrician, with nothing either. I had a similar episode a few months later at school but i just went home. A few years later i had another episode at home.

I don't know for sure if i've had a seizure, that's just other people's saying. But seizures happen in my family, and my brother has them a lot. So unless his is a grand mal, it doesn't raise that much concern with me/my family. He's on meds and everything else, so there's not much for an ER doctor to do that doesn't know his charts well. So if i have one here and there, it doesn't raise an eyebrow with me. It happens but doesn't leave anything behind. Now my grandmother has TIAs, which was first stated as seizures, very similar symptons. And doctors for years have been trying to pin point what causes them. She also takes kepra to help ward them off. But the TIAs she has have lingering effects for about a week or two, so it's critical to get her to the hospital.
But with both of them, it took a few episodes to say hey, there is a major concern for these. Thats when doctors finally did something about it.

I know when i'm about to pass out. I get extreme cold sweats and my vision goes, racing heart and extreme weakness.
I pass out just from the start of my period, but i wind up taking midol and laying in bed where i'm safe for passing out.

Has she started hers yet?? Maybe it's brough on by that. I don't think she'd be placed on meds just after one. But they'll be more watchful if anything else happens.

 

[Sorsha]

There are SO many variables and WAY too many IFS and we, of course, are not qualified to diagnose seizures or any other medical condition. Of course, you MUST and, I see from your post, WILL consult a doctor. There. Disclaimer over.

Now, IF it were to be found that your daughter had a seizure disorder and it were just manifesting now, it could be that hormones may be a trigger. I have seizure disorder, and it is at its very worst at certain times of the month. Estrogen is a neurological excitor, progesterone is a neurological depressant. If hormones are at all out of whack, that can be a trigger for seizures.

In my experience, some doctors, especially male ones sem to be very uneducated about this. If it is found that your daughter has seizures, and if you seem to observe a pattern based around her monthly cycles, please research catamenial epilepsy. If you can anticipate triggers, it makes it easier to handle. I say, because I know. Hugs to you and your daughter, and best of luck.

 

[momof5boys]

I agree with the previous poster that said it sounded like she passed out. Syncope is the medical term. Tunnel vision,or everything getting dark, ringing in the ears, sweating, nausea can all happen just prior to actually losing consciousness. Happens to me when my blood sugar is low or I get up to fast. Also very common in kids that stand still for awhile with their knees locked. (Lose a few kids at band competitions and choir concerts this way!) Some people just pass out but others have some seizure like movements. I learned firsthand that my DS 13 will pass out when he has blood drawn. I had to stick his finger at home for a blood test, he told me he didn't feel good but I didn't look at his face. Until he passed out. Of course he couldn't just drop to the floor, he had to go jerking all around and actually scratched himself up on a box nearby. Meanwhile I just kept squeezing his finger until I had enough blood for the test! Poor kid he woke up and was like"what happened?" I told him he passed out and to just stay still until I was done! Good thing I'm a nurse and didn't panic about it, but I knew I would only get one chance to get the specimen so I took it!
Please tell your daughter if this tunnel vision happens again to sit down immediately and put her head down. Passing out is the body's way of getting blood to your brain, if you're flat on the floor it doesn't have to fight gravity to get up there!

 

[minkydog]

Lots of things can cause a seizure. First thing you need to do is get off the websites--you're scaring yourself needlessly. My DH and DS15 have regular seizures. DS23 has had one. Heck, even the dog and the gerbils have seizures around here! All have them for different reasons. DH has an autoimmune disease that caused scar tissue in the temporal lobe of his brain. DS15 has massive brain damage. DS23--we never did figure out what caused his, but it only happened once and after being thoroughly worked up the neurologist pretty much went The dog has bonafide epilepsy--he's a poodle, very common.


Hopefully it was just a fluke, but she needs a full work-up by a neurologist--MRI and EEG for starters. I wouldn't go quickly to epilepsy. And if she does turn out to have epilepsy, well, there will be time later to be upset about that. (Incidently, my family's various seizures don't cause much disruption in our daily lives. They all take their meds and try not to do things that trigger them--lack of sleep, too much stress. )

 

[kaytieeldr]

my experience with seizures and doctors, is they're worthless until like the 3rd or 4th time it happens

Conversely, my experience with seizures and doctors was they're valuable the FIRST time it happened.

Therefore, OP, everyone's experience is different. Since the doctors and nurse in the chapel gave you reasonable medical advice, go with that. If your daughter has any repeat symptoms tonight, naturally, call the physician on duty - and follow your intention of calling HER doctor when the office opens in the morning.

So if i have one [seizure] here and there, it doesn't raise an eyebrow with me.

It should, and should be controlled via medication, if you're going to continue to drive.

 

[golfgal]

Your DD probably has epliepsy. Go to your pediatrican tomorrow, and he will either schedule an EEG or will refer you to a neurologist. My dd14 was diagnosed with Petit Mal epilepsy when she was 7, thankfully it was a condition she has outgrown. The meds can be scary...but your doc will help you through.

Just take a deep breath... I would advise doing some reasearch on pediatric neurolgists that are on your insurance plan. Good Luck.

That is a BIG stretch given she maybe had ONE seizure.

OP, there are a 100 different things that can cause this, anything from lack of sleep to a brain tumor. I know of some girls that had seizures "caused" by puberty. You just never know. Getting an EEG is the first step--they can see if it really was a seizure on that.

Our twins had seizures shortly after birth. They never found a cause and haven't had them since. Their best guess after many, many tests was that they were presenting like they were post-term because of their size and that they were born at 38 weeks.

 

[Sorsha]

Let me see if I can explain something my neuro told me.

EVERYONE has the potential to have seizures. A seizure is simply an overloading of the neurological pathways of the brain. Picture it like this: picture a big brick wall in your head. All of the electrical activity piles up on one side of the wall like waves crashing on a beach. Things that may be triggers for a seizure... certain foods, lack of sleep, hormones, heat, etc... are all like a storm out to sea; they push the waves higher and higher for ALL people. But for most people, your wall is still high enough to keep the electrical activity on the right side of the wall and no seizures occur. For those prone to seizures, something is wrong with our wall, and some of the electrical "wave" spills over to the wrong side, causing a seizure. Maybe the wall is just not tall enough, or there is a spot where some of the bricks have been knocked out. Seizure medicines help us patch the holes or build our walls taller, keeping the activity where it belongs.

Some people may have a seizure once or twice in their lives and never have one again. Its kind of like a tsunami or a "perfect storm" out ot sea in their minds. All of the conditions come together just right (or just wrong) to push that wave of electrical activity over the wall. Under normal conditions, the wall is still high enough and strong enough to keep the electrical activity in check; this was a one-time event. Fever can work this way. Conditions in the brain become so intense as to overcome the wall because of the fever.

Not diagnosing anything, or trying to second-guessing anyone. Just trying to add a little bit of an explanation as to how seizures may work and why people sometimes have only one or two of them in their lifetime.

 

[Disney Doll]

What are the causes of seizure-like activity?

Low blood sugar
Fever
Brain tumors
Hormones & hormonal changes
Anything that could cause a brief interruption of blood flow to the brain...irregular heart beat, a defect in vlaves, a "hole" in the heart (usually congenital), carotid artery stenosis

Unfortunately, what you are calling a seizure could have been some other type of reaction that looked like a seizure...when I had my TIA, anyone looking at me would have thought I was having a seizure.

I'mn actually kind of surprised that medical people in a hospital chapel who watched a kid have a seizure and were told that the kid had never had a seizure before didn't take the child directly to the Emergency Room.

Call her MD.

 

[NHdisneylover]

OK, so I'll be the voice of dissent here....doesn't really sound like a seizure, necessarily. The tunnel vision sounds like she fainted. The twitching, eyes rolling back often happens after someone faints. I give immunizations all day, and the ones that really faint out often have that kind of "seizure" after they faint. It really freaks parents out. Anyway, no one here really knows, of course, but I wouldn't jump right to an epilepsy diagnosis! Hope she's feeling better. Check in with your doctor as planned.

This was exactly my first thought Especially given that your DD is 13---very common for girls this age to start growing rapidly and their blood sugar then drops easily. DD had her big growth spurts early and from 11-12 she had to eat RIGHT before karate (no matter how much she had eaten even an hour or so before) or she would get lightheaded and pass out if she did not stop and eat when that happened. He doctor ran some tests to be sure (everything came back normal) but said this is common for the age and she would be okay again once she quit the massive growing (and she has been okay this year).
In addition to her age, if she skipped breakfast, stood up fast (to pray or sing), stood for a long period and/or is on her period all of these things make it even more likely she could simply faint.
I would try not too worry much, it is more likely to be fainting than some scary disorder

 

[SandrA9810]

I'm not saying she shouldn't be looked at by her doctor, I'm just saying that you shouldn't really expect an answer. It'll be noted on her charts and there for reference, especially if something else comes up in the near future.
Having one doesn't really say a lot.

 

[coinkc]

Thanks for everyone who shared their experiences. I took her to her doctor today and they ran a couple of blood and urine tests. Everything came back normal except for one thing and that wasn't a huge concern and they are going to recheck it in a week.

The doctor said it may have been caused by any number of things or it may have just been a freak thing. As long as it doesn't happen again, I can stop worrying according to the doctor.

 

[disneymarie]

My 13 year old daughter had some sort of seizure this morning during church. She said that her eyes went into a "tunnel vision" for a few minutes and then went all black. She lost conciousness for a split second and had some small convulsions. Her eyes were closed but her eyelids were fluttering.

It only lasted a few minutes and then she was okay although she is very tired today. It wasn't overly warm in the church. She hadn't eaten yet this morning but that is not unusual for her as she hardly ever eats in the mornings.

Any ideas what could have caused this? She has a check up with her doctor at the end of the month but I am going to call first thing in the morning to move that appointment up to this week.

I googled seizures but the internet is scary when looking for medical things!

My son started at that age, one thing he has is a hyper vegal nerve, we are now working on the diagx for the full seizures. Seems to have something to do with the heart rate going up, or the PVC's (sp)
But the neuro is having a test done that he will be in the hospital for a week and have the electrodes on. Do normal activities, TV, games, read, excersize, sleep, eat etc.

I will be there with him. THey will try to induce and or see if they happen when he is asleep. He has a heart murmmer with regergatation.

It took over a year to see this neuro, I hope that it all works out and we find out the triggers,
Good luck with your dd, I know the fear. The last two back to back seizures scared the life out of me. THey are sporatic, but frightening.
di