Seizures and Autism?

[Brightsy]

My son's teacher called me today. (My DS is 8 and has autism, he's considered HFA.) She's notice that my son fairly frequently "zones out" throughout the day. She said that it's sometimes lasts as long as 30 seconds. He does respond to physical touch, but not to verbal cues. She's worried that he may be having petit mal seizures.
Once she commented on it I realized that he's done this at home sometimes too.
Have any of you had experience with this kind of thing? I'm going to get a neurology consult for my son, but in the meantime are there any other signs other than zoning out I should look for?

 

[bookwormde]

It is possible it is a change in level or conciousness so it is worth taling to you ped about. If you see a repititioin at home as soon as he is back in touch try to see where he "was"

It is more likely that it is just an exceptional hyprefocus abillty, but I would see if it manefests elswhere and what his level of conciiousness and recalection is.

bookwormde

 

[irish dancer]

Yep, been there done that.

DS9 used to do that more often when he was younger, before he was taken into the spec ed preschool program they wanted him checked to rule out seizures. Did the MRI and all came back normal.

They also wanted his hearing checked because he wouldn't always respond to verbal cues but I assured them that he was an expert in "selective hearing" (he must have gotten that from my DH ).

I would recommend talking to your pediatrician but agree with bookwormde that it is likely not seizures.

 

[Brightsy]

Bookwormde,

Thanks for your suggestion. I had noticed my son "zoning out" now and then. It happens at dinner a lot. I tried asking him about it today but I didn't get anywhere with him. He has apraxia and his expressive communication skills are still difficult to understand easily. He has a very hard time with abstract questions. I goofed by asking him where he was, he answered "at the table" (since that was where we really were). I asked him what he was thinking about and he answered "roller coasters" which is what he was talking about before he zoned out.

SAra

 

[bookwormde]

Yup he is in that aspie visual hyperfocus world, very annoying to NTs but lots of fun for us and one of our greatest gifts.

bookwormde

 

[Brightsy]

*grin*

I just wish that I could ride along with my son sometimes. I feel so frustrated being on the outside unable to see what he sees. I'm feeling melancholic this evening. I remember when my DS didn't talk. That first "Mama" after months of speech therapy...
Now this new wrinkle. I wish he could, I mean WE could communicate with each other better. Although that's not the case, I guess. My son and I can communicate wordlessly fairly well, sometimes my DH reminds me to make my son talk, to ask for things. I go into mom-mode too easy I guess.
...oops I'm rambling... I'll stop now...

 

[ireland_nicole]

As someone who lives on the other side of the fence, I would encourage you to get a quick EEG and a neuro consult to rule out. Certain types of seizures do look a lot like "zoning out" or selective hearing. approx. 25% of kids w/ ASD will have a comorbid seizure disorder (percentage is higher in girls.)

I just think it's worth checking. Probably a waste of time, but worth it anyway imho.

DD has two different types of seizures (that we know of), and is doing well on her current anti seizure meds.

 

[saveaquarter]

Honestly, I think your best bet is to talk to your pediatrician about it. A friend of ours noticed my husbands absence seizures more than two years ago, and the subsequent medical checks found a whole slew of things that we wouldn't have otherwise discovered until it was too late. He has Aspergers as well, it's always fun to try and figure out whether he's having a seizure or just drifted off into his own world because I'm not entertaining enough.

I think it's always best to err on the side of caution, and the sooner you catch something the better. If they are seizures, finding a medication that works before they progress into more (IF they progress!) is really going to be safest for your child.