Symptoms of Increased Brain Electricity in Children
1)Reliable oral and written communication skills.
2)Fluent adherence to social etiquette.
3)Rigid sense of right and wrong.
4)Enthusiastic attention to schoolwork.
5)Unexplained increase in academic scores.
6)Increase in sleep time spent awake playing video games
6)Sudden fascination with reading.
7)Intense involvement in extracurricular activities.
8)Newly-discovered talent for music or art.
9)Unusual interest in mathematics and science.
10)Confusion and disorientation when not doing challenging work.
11)Recurrent nightmares of inability to run fast enough to catch up with peers and family members who steadily leave the dreamer behind as he struggles along on foot, bicycle, bus, boat, and plane: only those modes of transportation that would allow him to travel at nearly twice his normal speed alleviate his sense of loss and failure as he vainly attempts to overtake those ahead of him before they disappear from view. (These may be dreams of death).
12)Concerned parents observe the child’s increasing agitation and feel reassured when told of either recent or potential academic success.
13)Child becomes highly skilled at devising excuses for poor grades and discovers new ways to blame others for his mistakes, arouse sympathy from teachers, and avoid the consequences of his actions.
14)Excessive interest in food which spoils quickly.
15)Child suddenly begins collecting rather than discarding things that she has never before observed or expressed concern about: tin cans, plastic containers with lids, twist ties, wire coat hangers…
16)Strong dislike for what used to be favorite television programs; they cannot recall ever having observed these shows previously nor can they understand why anybody else would bother watching them now.
17)Child begins writing texts for homework assignments as well as personal e-mails before being forced to relinquish computer access to those who have been monitoring her activities and suspect that she might be using it to communicate with predators from behind a mask of anonymity, rather than reviewing the material assigned for the next day’s classes.
what can cause a seizure in a child:
children are prone to seizures because their brain is not completely developed. But there are some common reasons for childhood seizures.
These include:
1) febrile seizures (convulsions that can be caused by high fever)
2) epilepsy (seizures that often occur after an illness or head injury, but may occur without any known reason at all)
3) new medication (for example, chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer can sometimes cause seizures in kids who have never had one before).
4) withdrawal from alcohol or drug addiction
5) abnormality in the blood sugar level or fluid pressure inside the skull which causes a seizure when your child’s temperature spikes suddenly due to over-exertion. This is known as exercise-associated seizures in kids
6) epilepsy which can be caused when a child suddenly stops taking seizure medication for unknown reasons
symptoms of partial seizures in children:
1) kids with partial seizures often don’t lose consciousness. They may have odd feelings in their body or just stare into space for a few seconds. Many times they even respond to their surroundings during the seizure and come out of it without any long-term effects. The symptoms depend on where in the brain this type of seizure occurs:
a) an aura: a warning sensation that tells them a seizure is about to happen can cause sensory changes such as numbness, tingling, or weird tastes in their mouth. Or they may see flashing lights or wavy lines, or experience unusual smells that seem unpleasant
b) muscle contractions start from one part of the face and spread throughout the rest of your child’s body. The muscles of their face may twitch uncontrollably
c) muscle twitching starts from the neck down one side of the body and moves to the back, arms, and legs, but your child is still fully aware during this type of seizure
2) partial seizures with secondary generalization – kids have involuntary movements on both sides of their body or they lose consciousness
3) tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures: – also called convulsions or epileptic fits, these usually last a minute or more. Kids fall rigid to the floor and jerk as if they’re having a huge muscle spasm all over their body; it usually happens without warning
4) absence (petit mal) seizures:-
a) a very short seizure where the child becomes temporarily unconscious and stops all activity for a few seconds. It can make them look as if they’re staring into space, miss what people say to them, or even walk out in traffic.
b) your child might blink repeatedly or stare off into space. They may appear confused after an absence seizure because they don’t remember anything that happened during it
c) their arms and legs may jerk from time to time, but only for a few seconds at a time. This is called an aura, which means that your child sensed that something was about to happen before the actual seizure started
5) myoclonic seizures:- these are small jerks in one or more muscles of your child’s body. They occur suddenly and without warning, but usually last just a few seconds
6) atonic seizures:- cause a sudden loss of muscle tone in one part of the body such as an arm or leg
7) epileptic spasms – can affect any part of your child’s body during a partial seizure. The spasm might make their face tick like it does when they’re about to burst into laughter, and is often mistaken for a smile.
8 ) absence status epilepticus: – this happens when your child has absence (petit mal) seizures repeatedly and becomes unconscious with each one. They may not respond to anything you say, even if you shout at them. This serious condition needs to be treated in an emergency room right away treatment of epilepsy:-
Effects of epilepsy on child development:
Children who have epilepsy go back to school and play like any other healthy kids. It’s essential that you teach your child these coping skills early on so they can handle their condition as they grow up, learn to live with it, and feel confident about accepting help when needed.
1) don’t despair – if you or your partner experience the devastating impact of seizures right at the beginning of pregnancy, there is no reason to believe that your child will not lead a happy and successful life. Early recognition and treatment are very important; medication might need to be adjusted over time in response to things like growth spurts in your child’s height or weight
2) protect surroundings: – make sure there are no hazards around in case your child has a seizure. Make sure there are no electrical sockets or other items that plugin close to the floor where your child might trip over them
3) make treatment part of your child’s life – if at all possible, let your kids see you taking their prescribed meds every day
4) keep things under control – once your child reaches school age, they’ll need to understand how to work with their teachers and friends about their condition
5) be prepared for sudden events- you must know what to do when seizures happen because even though they happen unpredictably, they can happen just about anywhere.
Steps:
1) always tell someone else whenever you feel an aura coming on so others can protect your child from hurting themselves, e.g. call for help
2) smartphone apps are great for helping you learn what to do in an emergency 3) everyone involved with the school must be aware of how things work during a seizure 4) you can educate them by bringing your child’s medical file, medication bottle, and other material about epilepsy to any meetings with teachers or administrators
5) you may need to speak directly to staff members so they can follow up on their understanding of your child’s condition further down the road
6) visit the school regularly so you know what materials have been covered in class, who your child’s teacher is and where things are located at the school
7) communication is key: keep your child’s teacher informed about any changes in the way your child responds to their medication, so they can adjust accordingly.
8) don’t forget to look after yourself too: you must care for your physical and mental health as well. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or to try new things if something is already not working out
9) be sure to provide a stable home life: make sure that your family schedule adheres to a routine every day
10) focus on what matters: living life with epilepsy is different from leading a normal life, but seizures shouldn’t stand in the way of enjoying each moment of pleasure and success with your child
11) make sure your child is aware of their condition: if you feel like your child might be mature enough to understand why they need medication, talk to them about epilepsy and anything else that’s relevant.
It doesn’t mean you should burden them with all the information, but simply provide them with enough to understand what they can expect from their condition. If you are worried about bringing up the subject, you can ask your doctor for advice.
12) help your child develop self-esteem: make it clear that they don’t have to feel ashamed of having epilepsy. They should positively accept their condition and not worry about what others think of them