When a child has a seizure, it can be frightening and confusing for parents. The good news is that many children with childhood epilepsy can lead active and healthy lives with the right diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
What Is the Difference Between a Seizure and Epilepsy?
A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It may cause jerking movements, staring, unusual behaviour, confusion, or unusual sensations. Seizures can sometimes be triggered by fever, infection, injury, or metabolic problems. Once the cause is treated, many children do not have further seizures.
Epilepsy is diagnosed when a child has repeated unprovoked seizures, meaning they occur without an identifiable trigger.
What Causes Epilepsy in Children?
Epilepsy in children may be caused by:
- Genetic or congenital conditions
- Brain injury or infection
- Rarely, brain tumours
Do All Seizures Look the Same?
No. Seizures can look different depending on the part of the brain involved.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures affect one part of the brain and may cause:
- Staring episodes
- Lip smacking
- Jerking of one arm or leg
- Confusion
- Difficulty speaking
Generalised Seizures
Generalised seizures affect both sides of the brain and usually cause:
- Sudden stiffening of the body
- Rhythmic jerking movements of the arms and legs
What Are Febrile Seizures?
Febrile seizures occur in otherwise healthy children during fever, usually between 6 months and 6 years of age. Most children outgrow them. No long-term treatment is usually required, but parents should know the correct seizure first-aid measures.
Seizure First Aid: What Should Parents Do?
If your child has a seizure:
Do:
- Stay calm and note the time the seizure starts.
- Place your child on their side in a safe area.
- Remove nearby objects that could cause injury.
- Loosen tight clothing around the neck.
- Stay with your child until they are fully awake and aware.
- Seek urgent medical attention if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, if breathing is difficult, if another seizure follows immediately, or if it is the child's first seizure.
Do Not:
- Put anything in your child's mouth.
- Try to hold them down or stop the movements.
- Give food, drinks, or medicines during the seizure.
- Attempt mouth-to-mouth breathing unless the child is not breathing after the seizure has stopped.
What Tests May Be Needed?
EEG for epilepsy diagnosis: Records the brain's electrical activity and helps diagnose epilepsy.
- MRI Brain: Looks for structural causes.
- Blood Tests: Done based on the child's symptoms.
- Genetic Testing: May help identify specific epilepsy syndromes and guide treatment and prognosis.
How Can Epilepsy Affect My Child?
Many children with epilepsy live completely normal lives. Some children may have:
- Developmental difficulties
- Sleep problems
- Behavioural concerns or hyperactivity
What Are the Treatment Options?
Treatment depends on the seizure type, EEG findings, age, development, and underlying cause.
- Anti-seizure medications: The first treatment for most children. Many achieve good seizure control with medication and regular follow-up.
- Ketogenic diet: A medically supervised high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet used in selected children with difficult-to-control epilepsy.
- Epilepsy surgery: May be considered in selected children whose seizures arise from a specific area of the brain.
Does Diet Trigger Seizures?
For most children with epilepsy, there is no specific food that directly triggers seizures. A balanced, healthy diet is recommended. While some families worry about foods such as chocolate, sugar, or certain fruits, there is no strong evidence that these commonly cause seizures in most children. However, skipping meals, poor sleep, illness, or missing medications may increase seizure risk in some children. Always discuss any dietary concerns with your child's doctor before making major changes.
Can Children Outgrow Epilepsy?
Some childhood epilepsy syndromes improve with age, while others may require longer-term treatment and follow-up.
Is Every Seizure Dangerous?
Not all seizures are life-threatening, especially when proper seizure safety measures are followed.
Can Children With Epilepsy Attend Regular School?
Yes. Many children with epilepsy attend mainstream schools successfully with appropriate medical care and support.
Why Is Regular Follow-Up Important?
Regular follow-up helps monitor seizure control, adjust medications when needed, and support your child's overall development, learning, and well-being.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified paediatric neurologist for diagnosis and treatment decisions specific to your child's condition.
Written by Dr Sameeta Mercy Prabhu, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Rainbow Children's Hospital, Hebbal, Bengaluru.
Book a Paediatric Neurology Consultation
If your child has experienced seizures, unexplained staring episodes, abnormal movements, or recurrent neurological symptoms, early neurological evaluation is important. Consult Dr Sameeta at Rainbow Children's Hospital, Hebbal, Bengaluru, for comprehensive paediatric neurology, EEG evaluation, and childhood epilepsy care.
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