Okay now that I got the last post out of my system (must have needed that today) – I will advance on to this topic.
For quite some time I have been noticing that Ty has blank out spells. I know this can be common with kids so I wasn’t paying too much attention to it. I define a “blank out” by Ty being engaged in an activity and then halting, staring off into space. The incident that really caught my attention happened a few weeks ago.
Me and the boys walked out of the house to get in the car. Usually Ty races for the car and tries to climb into the drivers seat saying “My drive my drive my drive” before I can put him in his car seat. This day was unusual. Ty stayed behind me (or so I thought). I opened the car, it seems I started it and turned the air on, put Tanner in his seat, buckled him in, and went to grab Ty. He wasn’t there. Hmmmmm…..
I started looking for him and walked back towards the front door. He was standing 2 feet away from the door staring blank eyed at the street. I called him a couple of times to break his spell and then he giggled and ran for me like nothing out of the ordinary occurred. That was weird I thought. He had to have been standing there staring over a minute – probably more like two.
After that day, I began noticing that Ty does this fairly often. Maybe everyday but usually not quite so long. I keep catching him staring off in the middle of rooms.
Yesterday during PT, he did this twice to his therapist. I would estimate the first one was about 15 seconds. When I called him, he returned to awareness. I looked at Barb and said “He seems to be doing this a lot lately. He just blanks out.” Barb then shocks me and says’s “Doni – Ty might be having mild seizures.”
WHAT????!!!!! I never considered that!!! I didn’t even know seizures could happen like that!!! I argued the point and said “No. I don’t think so. Usually you just say his name and he comes right back. He is probably just getting overstimulated for some reason and needs a little break. Other kids to this too sometimes.” Barb agreed that it could be nothing but she thought it was worth bringing to the neurologists attention. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure would be to catch it on an EEG. (Note to Susie: I remember you had to do this with Landen and they sent him home on a monitor. He was so little then…do you think we could keep one on Ty at this age or would it never work?).
I looked up petit mal seizures today on the web and it does sound like a very serious possiblity. The only difference may be that with a petit mal they supposedly last just a few seconds. What define’s a few seconds do you think? Does going longer than 30 seconds, or 1 minute qualify as more? Would that make Ty’s symptoms NOT petit mal seizures or just an atypical petit mal seizure since it apparently lasts a bit longer. (THIS website addresses that a bit).
So I have been considering this situation. On the one hand, I do think that healthy kids do this. The question is how often is normal. Is a few times a day normal? I am suspecting not and while I haven’t been tracking this behavior yet, I think that Ty is doing this more than once per day right now. Also, I would think that if it WERE a seizure that I couldn’t get his attention and most of the time calling his name will snap him out of it. (However, maybe if they are mild you CAN call them out of it? I don’t know.)
On the other hand, most 25 weekers with bilateral brain hemorrhages that I know of DO have seizures. If Ty is having mild seizures (petit mal), that would be pretty expected under the circumstances. For this reason it makes it almost seem LIKELY because it has seemed UNLIKELY that he hasn’t had any. Also, it seems that these blank outs are often lasting longer than what would seem “normal”. Like I stated previously, I have seen them last over a minute. For a VERY hyperactive child, it is a strange sight to seem him perfectly still like this (probably why it’s catching my attention). I think he may be doing it while watching TV too. Sometimes he is watching and looks engaged but other times I have noticed that space out look. I have seen that on other kids faces while totally absorbed in a show too so this could be a bad test scenario but I do know that the lights and movement on the screen could preempt a petit mal seizure too. Hmmmmmmm……
So what if it is? If he is having petit mal seizures then what?
Will I ever be able to catch them on an EEG?
Will Ty need to be on medication?
Will they go away?
Will they get worse?
I need to schedule an appointment with Ty’s neurologist about this. I have been holding off on that appointment though because I want to see the Ortho Dr. about possible CP before bringing Ty back to the neuro and my referral has not come through for an Ortho appointment quite yet.
Anyhow….I will be watching this one! Sheeessssh…what next.
Note to Susie: I know that you have mentioned this to me in regards to Landen but I didn’t make the connection. You had told me that he often blanks out right before a grand mal seizure so I just thought that was one of Landen’s signs that a grand mal was about to surface. I did NOT realize that the blank out was/could be a mild seizure in and of itself. Did you know that?
8 responses to “Petit Mal Seizures”
Doni sounds like your heart is already trying to tell you something. I wish I could give you the automatic answer you are looking for but I can’t. I can give you a few examples that might help.
I will worn you now I have only had about three hours of sleep in the last 24 hours, so if I sound a little duhhed hopefully you will understand.
From what you write it sounds like Ty and Landen may be in the same boat. The things you described are all to familiar.
Yes I did know about the Pm seizures Landen does experience them almost on a daily basis.
I will give you an example;
Last night at dinner we were having a toddler war. Landen and Ryan were trying to attack each others food and each others limbs ( yes hungry boys). I finally made my way down to the both of them and started one of those mommy lectures on being nice.
Because they are little I only gave them a couple of little sentences but while I did this I noticed that Landen had stopped moving physically except for breathing of course, his eyes were fixed, and his lazy jaw hung open. The middle of a PM seizure. Ryan by this time was back to eating and would look over at me every now and than.
Landens Pm’s are pretty common but here are some signs Landen gives when it is occurring.
1. little or no movement
2. fixed eyes
3. lazy open jaw or tongue
4. sometimes swaying
5. clapping or having to touch him to wake him up
6. when he does snap out of it he usually will come back with kinda of a deep breath and surprise reaction.
7. quick jerk of the head when he discovers someone is calling for him, but you have been in the same position calling for him a few times before he noticed.
Landen does have PM’s, acute and Grand Mal, all three very different, with PM’s being the least likely to affect a child physically. My neurologist said Landen may have trouble keeping focus in school, keeping a job, studying, driving, those sorts of things.
Every child is different so who knows what could happen. Landen is however on anti seizure meds. Dilantin……..remember that one. YUCK. Because of other testing and results it is not likely that Landen will ever grow out of his seizure’s though some do.
I use to keep log of hiss PM’s and I notice the more activity he had or we had the more i would see PM activity. Landens case is so much more on the seizure level with three that effect him but from this subject and knowing Ty’s preemie history i would encourage you to get it evaluated.
We will talk later on this one.
Susie – THANK YOU for this lengthy reply. Dang it though – sounds too familiar. Today my brother took his kids to Ty’s pediatrician. He told Ty’s Dr. about what the PT said and Ty’s Dr. told my brother to have me call him right away. I called and explained to the Dr. and he said “Yep – Ty is seizing get him to the neurologist right away”. I then said “Hold up there! I am still not convinced. I MIGHT be able to distract him from it.” The Dr. then said “If you can distract him than they are not PM seizures”. I said “How would you know? If PM seizures are often very short how would I know if I was alerting him or if he was coming out of it by the time I noticed anyhow?”. Dr. said “Exactly and that is why I want him to get an EEG right away”.
So then your post say’s that you CAN alert Landen out of a PM by clapping or calling his name a couple of times. If that is the case than you can call a child out of them – at least on the tail end. When Ty has had a long space out, I think it takes calling a few times before he comes “back” but the shorter ones maybe I am calling him out or maybe he was coming out anyhow.
Darn it Susie. I am really hoping this isn’t it. Do you think it will show on an EEG even they don’t catch an active seizure (supposing there are any)? The Dr. said they can often tell there is abnormal brain activity even without the active seizure. I am really frustrated by this and scared too but I am just telling myself Ty may not be having PMs. You KNOW how much I didn’t want THIS.
oh doni… i’m so sorry you have one more thing to “worry” about…. Father, how we need you now. Help Doni to rest and place this in your hands knowing you are awake and working on things while she is sleeping – she need not stay awake worrying. 🙂
While you may not be losing sleep, the temptation will certainly be there. I’m with you and praying.
I was told also that the EEG will defantly pick up abnormal brain waves according to the tech if there is any kind of “electrical storm” going on the test is a great way to start the game on discovering if there is a need for a diagnoses.
Another thing I am leery to bring up is Landens path of life, as a baby he would have mild one sided seizure’s than they disappeared for months but came almost a year ago. When I asked why I was told by his doctor that some preemies with sensory issues (like Ty and Landen) will not fully develop all the brain sensories right off the bat especially when there has been trauma like they brain bleeds they both had. i am only bringing this up because I remember reading a comment you had made about “why now and not than.”
Keeping you in my prayers!!! I will try and call you before I leave and we will talk more.
Doni~ I just want to preface this with the fact that I know nothing about seizures and I???m in no way trying to say that it???s not a real possibility. But, when I was a kid the same thing happened to me all the time. I went through a phase that lasted about a year. (I was in school at the time and I don???t know if age is any kind of a factor in this type of issue.) I remember it happening in all types of situations and environments. It???s hard to know for sure, because I was just a kid, but I think it would last up to 5 minutes. Typically it was more like 90 seconds or so. I would ???snap out of it??? when something changed. For instance, I could be in school and my mind would go blank. A few minutes later someone would stand up in the corner of my eye and I would come out of it.
I can remember the same thing at home. My mom would come and touch my shoulder, which would make me jump. She said she had called me over and over. I truly wasn???t ignoring her I just never heard her. I had no recollection of the last few minutes. It was almost like my brain just shut off or something.
As you know, I???m a huge fan of the mommy instinct and it never hurts to check it out.
Love you,
Laura
I’m praying that there is no abnormal brain activity and NO seizures and that it’s just something he will grow out of or a “normal” kid thing.
I don’t know what it’s like to be in your shoes right now Doni, but know that I will be praying for you and Ty and that I love you. I will especially be praying that these episodes (for lack of a better word) are NOT seizures.
Please excuse my interuption; i just happened upon your website and i am not even sure if you will get this, but…my daughter last fall was diagnosed with petit mal seizures. to make a long story short, when i researched it on the web, i couldnt believe how many different factors can possibly bring these on. to my dismay, my daughter’s family history depicts most of the factors involved. (hereditary, head trauma, growth spurts, etc..)My question to any of you out there, we have been going down a path of trying multiple medications, that are seeming to make matters worse rather than better. I am really curious as to the path you have taken and if you have come across any information or medicines that seem to help?
sincerely, christy
Hello everyone,
I used to have petit mal seizures myself when I was 7. Although my doctors said I would have them forever my parents weened me off my medication and after much prayer I actually stopped having them completely and have never had them since. I had them for only one year, it was not easy but with the support and prayers of my family and friends I was able to come out of it. I was involved in alot of physical activity mainly soccer, basketball, swim and karate, which helped with my seizures. The more physical activity the better! Also, try not to have your child play too many video games since the different lights could trigger a seizure along with blowing up a balloon(lack of oxygen to the brain for a certain amount of time could also trigger a seizure). I just want you all to know that there is hope. There always is a hope for a better tomorrow! Be positive and explain to your child as best as possible without scarying him/her. Having seizures has made me more sensitive to those who have mental and physical problems. Looking back, although they were no fun and even scary at times PM brought my family closer together. I pray and hope you will be encouraged and not give up hope. Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns and for hearing me out as well.
“Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”- Prov 3:5
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