SEIZURES

CONTENT

What are seizures

What seizures look like

Not a seizure

Causes of seizures

What to do

Are seizures harmful

What the doctor may do for a seizure

Seizure medicine

Tests: EEG, CAT scan, Ultrasound

Doctor visits

WHAT ARE SEIZURES

1. Seizures are sometimes called fits or convulsions.

2. Seizures happen because the electrical system in the brain is not working the way it should.

3. Seizures may last a few seconds to a few minutes. When the seizure ends the brain continues to work like before.

WHAT SEIZURES LOOK LIKE

1. Seizures may be hard to see in a newborn or preemie.

2. Your baby may have one or more of the following:

	Jerking movement of one or both arms or legs: Jerking may happen on one or both sides of the body and it does not stop if you gently hold the arm or leg.
	Eyes rolling: You can only see the white part of the eye. This does not count if your baby is asleep.
	Eyes shake to the side.
	Fast eye blinking.
	Unusual cry.
	Stiff body: Baby becomes stiff with back arched, arms and legs held out straight.
	"Bicycle riding" leg movements.
	Lip smacking, chewing or sucking action.
	Color changes: The baby turns blue or pale.
	Staring and looking away: You will not be able to get his attention or he becomes very quiet and still.
	Repeated movements that look out of place or unnatural.
	Apnea (baby stops breathing): Not a common sign of seizures.

3. Many of these look like things all babies do. Seizures are different from his normal behavior.

4. He may wet or dirty his diaper during the seizure.

NOT A SEIZURE:

1. Jittery movements: Last less than a minute; stop when you place your hand on the moving part. Often happens when you undress, unwrap, work with your baby, or your baby stretches or is startled.

2. Quick jerky movements: When your baby is asleep or falls asleep.

3. Eye movements: When your baby is asleep.

CAUSES OF SEIZURES

1. There are many causes for seizures in a baby.

2. Some causes of seizures are:

High fever

Bleeding in your baby’s brain before your baby was born or during the first days of life.

Poor oxygen and blood supply to the brain before your baby was born or during the first days of life.

Babies born with something wrong with the development of their brain or nervous system.

Chemical problems in the blood: low blood sugar (not common by the time your baby goes home), other rare problems (the doctor will talk with you about this).

Infections in the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

Sometimes a cause cannot be found.

WHAT TO DO

1. BE CALM!!!

2. Turn him on his side.

3. Suction the baby’s mouth if he vomits.

4. Do not put anything in his mouth. He cannot bite or swallow his tongue.

5. Do not leave your baby alone.

6. Do not try to stop him from jerking. This will stop by itself and does not hurt your baby.

7. Move toys, stuffed animals, rattles, and/or pacifiers away from the baby to keep him safe.

8. Do not give over-the-counter medicines or extra doses of the seizure medicine.

9. Call the baby’s doctor.

ARE SEIZURES HARMFUL

1. Seizures are very scary to watch.

2. They are not life threatening.

3. Babies usually breathe during and after a seizure.

4. Your baby may fall asleep or become drowsy after a seizure. He may be hard to wake up.

5. We do not know if seizures cause brain damage.

6. Baby’s learning and development depends more on what caused the seizure. Babies with seizures caused by brain infections (meningitis), bleeding in the brain or birth defects have a greater chance of having developmental problems.

7. Seizures are not contagious—like a cold.

WHAT THE DOCTOR MAY DO FOR A SEIZURE

1. If your baby is taking seizure medicine, he may get a blood test to see how much medicine is in his body. A baby on seizure medicine may need his dose changed. Babies need more medicine as they gain weight.

2. He may get blood test to see if the body chemicals are correct.

3. He may get an EEG (Electroencephalogram). This test records electrical action in the brain.

SEIZURE MEDICINE

1. Several medicines are used for seizures. Phenobarbital liquid is the most common seizure medicine for small babies.

2. Always give the amount of medicine the doctor ordered. The doctor will decide when to get a blood test to see how much medicine your baby has in his body. The dose is often raised as your baby grows.

3. Do not stop the medicine without a doctor’s order. Suddenly stopping the medicine can cause a seizure.

4. Seizure medicine may make your baby sleepy for several hours after the dose is given.

5. Call the doctor if: • • • •

Your baby is too sleepy to feed

Your baby gets a rash after taking the medicine

Your baby vomits (spits up) the medicine. Do not give another dose of the medicine until you talk with the baby’s doctor

Your baby misses a dose of his seizure medicine.

6. Babies may stay on seizure medicine from months to several years. The doctor will decide how long to give the medicine.

TESTS

1. Several tests may be used to tell if your baby has seizures or follow your baby’s brain development.

2. EEG: Stands for Electroencephalogram.

Records electric activity in the brain. The activity is printed out and called a "tracing."

Done through wires pasted on your baby’s head.

Doctor looks for patterns in the tracing to see if there are seizures.

Does not hurt your baby in any way. We try to get your baby to move from awake to sleeping during the test.

3. CT or CAT SCAN: Stands for Computerized Axial Tomography.

Uses a beam of x-ray to take pictures of the brain. Your baby must be still for the test. Your baby is usually given medicine to make him sleepy for the test. Since he is small and the machine large, your baby actually looks like he is going inside the machine. He is watched very closely during the test.

Does not hurt your baby.

4. Head Ultrasound.

Takes pictures of your baby’s brain using sound waves.

A sensor is placed over soft spot on the head, sound waves measure the brain tissue and a picture is made. This is like the ultrasound done on pregnant women.

This does not hurt your baby. He can be awake or asleep for the test.

5. The doctor will decide if your baby needs any of these tests.

DOCTOR VISITS

1. A Pediatrician (baby doctor) or Family Doctor can take care of your baby when you go home. They will care for the seizures and seizure medicine. It is very important for you to keep these routine appointments.

2. A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in brain, nervous system and development problems. He will see the baby after discharge. However, your pediatrician or family doctor will see the baby to care for the seizures and seizure medicine.

3. You will be given an appointment with the neurologist before you go home or an appointment will be sent to you at home after the baby is discharged.

Reviewed/Revised:

11/96, 08/98, 06/01, 4/03, 11/05, 11/07

	High fever
	Bleeding in your baby’s brain before your baby was born or during the first days of life.
	Poor oxygen and blood supply to the brain before your baby was born or during the first days of life.
	Babies born with something wrong with the development of their brain or nervous system.
	Chemical problems in the blood: low blood sugar (not common by the time your baby goes home), other rare problems (the doctor will talk with you about this).
	Infections in the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
	Sometimes a cause cannot be found.

	Your baby is too sleepy to feed
	Your baby gets a rash after taking the medicine
	Your baby vomits (spits up) the medicine. Do not give another dose of the medicine until you talk with the baby’s doctor
	Your baby misses a dose of his seizure medicine.

	Records electric activity in the brain. The activity is printed out and called a "tracing."
	Done through wires pasted on your baby’s head.
	Doctor looks for patterns in the tracing to see if there are seizures.
	Does not hurt your baby in any way. We try to get your baby to move from awake to sleeping during the test.

	Uses a beam of x-ray to take pictures of the brain. Your baby must be still for the test. Your baby is usually given medicine to make him sleepy for the test. Since he is small and the machine large, your baby actually looks like he is going inside the machine. He is watched very closely during the test.
	Does not hurt your baby.

	Takes pictures of your baby’s brain using sound waves.
	A sensor is placed over soft spot on the head, sound waves measure the brain tissue and a picture is made. This is like the ultrasound done on pregnant women.
	This does not hurt your baby. He can be awake or asleep for the test.