I've asked this question before, but now that we had Alex tested (EEG, blood, urine, spinal fluid) for seizures, all tests came back normal. However, he continues to have these "spells" and the doctors also ruled out "breath holding spells". Alex had the worst "spell" last night, while trying to breast feed him, he got really upset and once again, screamed as if someone was hurting him, then clenched his fists, held his breath, turned beet red, tightened up his body, glazed eyes with no response. I called his name, caressed his head, rubbed his body to stimulate him but once these "spells" take over, it has to take its course. Alex did not respond to me at all. Once the "spell" was over, he went limp, closed his eyes and rested for a few seconds then he went back to his normal state. I'm extremely worried and scared since he has gone undiagnosed. Its a mystery to our pedicatrician as well as to the neurologist. I'm at my wits end. Please help.
2007-08-22 08:27:22 · 11 answers · asked by alex's_mom 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Heavenly Advocate..your answer has given me hope. I am glad your son is doing well. Sounds like my son and yours had similiar symptoms. I would love to hear more from your experiences. My son did have and MRI and the results were normal. I will be taking him back to the neurologist and pediatrician again. Thank you.
2007-08-22 11:14:23 · update #1
Thank you everyone for your answers and support. Please keep us in your prayers.
2007-08-22 11:22:02 · update #2
Keep fighting until you find out no matter how many Doctors it takes. I say this because when my son was almost 6 months old I thought he was having seizures and our pediatrician wrote it off as him just making silly faces or whatever and I kept telling her he was having seizures and she wouldn't listen and said he was fine. Anyway to make a long story short, when he was 14 months old he had a massive seizure on me while I was giving him a bath on Mother's Day and almost died in my arms. He had a grand mal seizure and he stopped breathing and for a short time his heart stopped and we got it restarted doing CRP while waiting for the ambulance. When we got him to the hospital they said they didn't know anything that could cause it "sometimes these things just happen and we never find out why" the doctor told me and they were going to send us home. I refused to leave until they could tell me what was wrong with him. His EEG came back ok and the doctor was going to give me the pat on the back and send us home when my son had ANOTHER seizure in front of him of the lesser severity(a complex focal seizure) so he sent him for an MRI and found out he had a brain tumor the size of a plum. We had to go through alot of medications and testing to prepare him, but eventually he had to have surgery to save his life. I'm not telling you this to scare you, but what you are describing is what he used to go through in the beginning and if you don't get him help it will only get worse. He would get really upset and turn bright red, he would stop breathing and his eye would twitch and the corner of one side of his mouth would move up and down. After a few months it got worse and worse and with every episode the twitching became worse and more pronounced. He couldn't respond to us and it seemed like he was either completely out in la la land or just not there at all. After the episode he would either get really sleepy for a few minutes or sometimes he would get totally freaked out and just start shrieking. The days leading up to his surgery he was having upwards of 100 clearly defined espisodes every day(as seen on the in hospital EEG he was hooked up to 24-7 for 2 wks leading up to the first operation and he had lost all ability to speak or follow simple commands. They were thinking even after the surgery he would be severely retarded because it had progressed so far. Luckily for us, today he's pretty normal. He hasn't ahd any seizures since the tumor's removal almost 2 yrs ago and he'll be weaning off his last antiseizure drug in a couple of months. The only problem he has at all is from a stroke he suffered during the second operation where they actually removed the tumor and hit a blood vessel that was nearby causing a stroke. He was partially paralyzed on his left side, but has regained most of his abilities except the fine motor skills of his left hands fingers. If you haven't had one already insist they give him an MRI. If our little guy hadn't had one I would be visiting him at his grave instead of yelling at him to stop jumping off the sofa. Good luck and remember you are a mom and you have infinite strength you don't even know you have yet for the fight ahead, whatever it is.
2007-08-22 08:58:54 · answer #1 · answered by Heavenly Advocate 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The only way to fully be reassured is to have an MRI of the brain performed. I know all of this can seem scary but what you describe would be an alarm to me as well, especially since you can't bring him out of it. Have you tried blowing a small amount of air in his face during the spell?
An EEG will not tell you for sure if he is having seizures unless he has one during the test. My daughter was having seizures, the EEG was normal but her MRI was very abnormal. (Don't let that alarm you either, Gracie gave numerous other signs that something was wrong.)
I would push for an MRI just for your own piece of mind. Better safe than sorry and if the doctors aren't seeing the spells themselves, it would be hard for them to draw a conclusion. Best of luck - Cherie0264@yahoo.com
2007-08-22 08:44:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
My daughter suffered two strokes at 15 months and had similar seizures, except she never cried. They never really could figure out why, but when they ran her blood gases, her sodium & potasium levels were way off. They eventually passed, but she was on phenabaratrol (spelling??) for awhile.
Just check with other doctors, and hound them for answers. You are correct in thinking this isn't right. I don't know what area you are in, but find your local children's hospital, and start there. Perhaps they need to admit him to see one of these spell's first hand.
Good luck!
Also - when they did a CT scan the strokes didn't show...they did an MRI and were able to find them, so perhaps they also need to be doing more indepth testing.
2007-08-22 08:39:15 · answer #3 · answered by justme 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
just because his eeg came out normal doesnt mean that he doesnt have epilepsy. My moms nero told her that(he was educated at harvard and works for the Vetrens association now) because i have "spells"-basicly i black out and fall if im standing, but one of my eeg came up normal the other abnormal and my MRI looks fine.
Id suggest seeing another dr and getting an MRI for your son...maybe try a epilepsy center instead of just a private neurologist.
Another thing that they said may be a possibility with me is something called a Conversion disorder... its where your body takes the stress that you're feeling and converts it into a physical symptom(ex..blacking out).. i know its rare and im not sure if an infant would even be dx with it..but just a thought.
take care and good luck
2007-08-22 08:43:16 · answer #4 · answered by crimstudent187 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The stress may have led him back to the drugs unfortunately. It sounds like he is on a binge and cannot be reached for says (even months in your case) and that definitely sound like a person who has s drug problem. I think that you are doing right by telling your son that his dad loves them and not speaking negatively, but you cannot control what others do. I agree with you, it is beyond me how a man (or woman) create a child and not even be around, but some do, with no good reason.
2016-04-01 08:59:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
possibly an allergivc reaction if not then that neurologist doesnt know what it is a would suggest seeing some one else cause it could be a side affect from birth did he have any complications when u were in labor with him such as his head was swollen or something?
with what i know about being pregnant and also having epilepsy myself could be related 2 something like that but like i says have another doctor look into the case
2007-08-22 08:47:39 · answer #6 · answered by mummy of 2gorgeous boys 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Is it possible he is having an allergic reaction to something you are eating. Whatever you eat gets passed thru breastmilk so i might look at what you've been eating or drinking and see if there is a connection there. It may have something to do with his digestive system as well, perhaps he is having problems making bowel movements or maybe it hurts when he does and this is the reaction he is making cause he knows no other way to express pain.
2007-08-22 08:47:33 · answer #7 · answered by Wishmaster 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you need another doctor this could be very serious he probably should have a cat scan or MRI of the brain .you say he had a brain wave test.it sounds like some type of epilepsy to me but it may even be a tumor.i had epilepsy as a child and it was very mild,no history of it in the family anywhere,it took years to get the right diagnosis.please find another doctor right now! GOD bless you and your son.
2007-08-22 08:34:38 · answer #8 · answered by dixie58 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Sounds a little like he is possessed!! I am kidding
I have never heard of this and personally it sounds like maybe you need to get a different doctor or at least a second opinion. It sounds like if it is that bad then they would be sending him to a specialist.
Hope you figure it out and he is ok. God bless you!
2007-08-22 08:34:51 · answer #9 · answered by 3peas in a pod 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Keep going to different doctors until you find one that can give you answers. I watch discovery health channel all the time and on that Mystery Diagnosis show that is the only way they ever find out what is wrong. Just be persistent because that is definitely not normal and you need to find out what it is.
2007-08-22 08:33:24 · answer #10 · answered by notthatiknow 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋