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Last updated:09-05-2008
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Definition and causes


Seizures in children is relatively common. In fact, it is felt that about one in ten children at a time have had cramps during opvæksten.

Seizures in children may be caused by several disturbances in the body. A common cause of seizures are high fever (temperature over 38 °). This is called feberkramper. There is often talk about respiratory or mavetarminfektioner typically in children up to 5 years of age.

Seizures can also be a symptom of an underlying disease like epilepsy , cerebral palsy , brain tumours and hjernehindebetændelse .
Problems with the metabolism can also give convulsions, for example. children with congenital diseases such as phenylketonuria . Diabetes-children That makes too much insulin, can have a very low level of sugar in the blood, which can lead to convulsions.

The following describes some of the many different types of seizures that may occur in a child. If your child will have a seizure, it is important to give good notice the attack, as it often is a great help in the determination of the cause of the attack.

Symptoms of seizures in children


Grand mal (toric-klonisk fits)
Symptoms during the attack:

  • Pludseligt bevidsthedstab.

  • Seizures in the whole body - arms and legs bent strækket. After a few seconds of walking in heavy rykvise movements in the arms and legs (bend and stretch in elbows, hips and knees).

  • Can soft out of his mouth because of a bite.

  • Ansigtsfarven can be blue due to lack of oxygen (plague).

  • Possibly froth on the mouth and the departure of urine and / or stools.

Anfaldet goods usually 1-2 minutes.

Symptoms after the attack:

  • In the beginning unconscious and left off, but wake up gradually gradually.

  • Confused, disoriented and hallucinerende - a kind of tågetilstand.

  • Headache.

  • Ømme muscles.

  • Any paralysis.

  • Possibly the departure of urine and / or stools.

Rarely have children disrupted attacks, which it described above efterforløb really can not be recognized. It may give rise to confuse the state with something else.

Petit mal (absencer)
This type of attacks seen largely in children and adolescents. Anfaldet shown by short episodes, the child becomes distant and begins to stare with opadvendte eyes. After no more than 15-20 seconds turning the child again back to what it did before the attack, as if nothing had happened. The most common are, however, accompanied by muskeltrækninger, sitren around the eyes and salivation.
Children grow as a rule from the state with age.

Psykomotoriske seizures (complex partial seizures)
This is the bout with an affected consciousness. The symptoms are classified inautomatismerandpsychiatric symptoms. Often, the symptoms appear together.

Automatisme is a few minutes lasting episode in which the child makes repeated meaningless movements with the hands, mouth or face. Furthermore, it can make imperfect acts as turning around and taking clothes on and off. The child can also speak strange gibberish. Anfaldet can start with that child is a little maveonde, difficulty breathing or wet the pants. The child will not respond to the surroundings and blank gaze out into the air. In some cases there may be contact.

The psychological symptoms are also called for drømmetilstanden. The products are also a few minutes, and acts as amended bevidsthedsindhold. It may be lykkefølelse, anxiety, hallucinations and illusions, which may be similar dreams. After the attack the child is confused and need some time to come to itself again. There may be partial or total amnesia.

Often seems the two types of symptoms know that the attack starts with automatismer and conclude with psychiatric symptoms.

Psykomotoriske attacks may continue in adulthood. If they do, may be necessary antiepileptisk medication.

Spastiske convulsions
Spastiske cramps are characterized by the fact that the child will be permanently muskelsammentrækninger and can remain in the same position in a few seconds. Kramperne may occur several times a day and acting only after 3 months of age. As a rule disappear anfaldene again, but if there is damage in the brain, can other forms of convulsions developed with age.

Complications of seizures in children


Long-term grand-mal seizures can cause damage to the brain. There is also a risk to the child falls and strikes dramatically.

Precautions and diagnosis

To see her child seizures for the first time can be a violent and traumatic experience. However, there is good advice to download. It is a good idea to let her child be examined by a doctor, even if it is a minor attack. If it is a længervarende attacks (more than 5 minutes), you must act quickly, because the child needs emergency care.

Although it may be difficult, we should not keep the child during an attack. However, it may be a good idea to remove things that the child may be injured on (see also Epilepsy and first aid ). It is important to observe the child and note how it behaves, so you can describe it to the doctor in the investigation and thereby facilitate the diagnosis. (see Epilepsy ).

If the child has previously had feberkrampe and now has high fever, one should take the temperature every two hours. A temperature over 38 ° C can cause convulsions, and it is therefore important that the temperature kept down by using very little clothes and possible a moistened cloth with warm water.
Febernedsættende medicine (for example panodil) does not preventive.

Treatment of seizures in children


Krampeanfaldene is the expression of an underlying illness or disturbance. The most can be treated by to focus on these modes. Recurring seizures in children can be treated with medication taken continuously (permanent).

Feberkramper is generally benign nature, which is important to know the parents. The treatment is usually to avoid the fever, as mentioned in relief, but by many relapse of convulsions parents can also provide preventive medicine at home. There is, however, by certain types feberkrampe a risk that the child later in life develop epilepsy.

It is a good idea that so many adults as possible in the child's daily life are aware of krampeanfaldene and when the medication must be taken.
If the child has anfaldsfri for a long time, you can try to step down on the medicine.

 



 

Related articles:

ADHD and DAMP
Autism (including Asperger syndrome)
Cerebral palsy (Spastisk paralysis)
Feberkramper
Hjernehindebetændelse of infants and children (meningitis)
Indlæringsproblemer
Reyes syndrome
Seizures in children




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