Is this a seizure?

Question

My 14 month old ever since he was born will do this thing where he is shaking his hands back and forth in a fist while his arms are out stretched out, his mouth is wide open, he seems like he is staring off into space and sometimes his whole body will shake ( more of like he is excited or tense shiver). My daycare noticed that when he does it she can't get his attention until after he relaxes. I thought this was just something he did when he got excited. When I think of a seizure I think of the full blown thing never realizing that mini seizures could occur. Does this sound like a seizure to anyone out there? He does it everyday sometimes a few times a day.

Answer 1

Your toddler might be suffering from the generalized seizures of Infantile spasms and petit mal seizures.

Infantile spasms commonly occur in children younger than 18 months. They are often associated with mental retardation and consist of sudden spasms of muscle groups, causing the child to assume a flexed stature. They are frequent upon awakening.

Absence seizures, also known as petit mal seizures, are short episodes during which the child stares or eye blinks, with no apparent awareness of their surroundings. These episodes usually do not last longer then a few seconds and start and stop abruptly; however, the child will not remember the event at all. These are sometimes discovered after the child's teacher reports daydreaming, if the child loses his or her place while reading, or misses instructions for assignments.

Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Symptoms may vary depending on the part of the brain that is involved, but seizures often cause unusual sensations, uncontrollable muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

Some seizures may be the result of a medical problem. Low blood sugar,(hypoglycemia) infection,( febrile seizures) a head injury, accidental poisoning, or drug overdose can cause a seizure. A seizure may also be due to a brain tumor or other health problem affecting the brain. In addition, anything that results in a sudden lack of oxygen to the brain can cause a seizure. In some cases, the cause of the seizure is never discovered.

When seizures recur, it may indicate the chronic condition known as epilepsy.


While terrifying to parents, these febrile seizures are usually brief and rarely cause any problems, unless the fever is associated with a serious infection, such as meningitis. A child who has a febrile seizure is not more likely to develop epilepsy.


If Your Child Has a Seizure
A child who's having a seizure should be placed on the ground or floor in a safe area. Remove any nearby objects. Loosen any clothing around the head or neck. Do not try to wedge the child's mouth open or place an object between the teeth, and do not attempt to restrain movements. Once the seizure seems to have ended, roll your child onto his or her side.

Call emergency medical services immediately if your child:

has difficulty breathing
turns bluish in color
has sustained a head injury
seems ill
has a known heart condition
has never had a seizure before
might have ingested any poisons, medications, etc.

If your child has previously had seizures, call emergency services if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, or if the seizure is different or unusual.


If your child is breathing normally and the seizure lasts just a few minutes, you can wait until it has subsided, then call your doctor.

Following the seizure, your child will probably fall into a deep sleep (this is called the postictal period). This is normal, and you should not try to wake your child. Do not attempt to give food or drink until your child is awake and alert.

For a child who has febrile seizures, the doctor may suggest that you give fever-reducing medicine (such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen) to control the fever and prevent seizures from recurring. Your doctor may also recommend sponging your child with lukewarm water to help cool him or her down.


Following a seizure — particularly if it is a first or unexplained seizure — call your doctor or emergency medical service for instructions. Your child will usually need to be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible.


Sometimes, children are known to outgrow these seizure episodes on their own.
However, it's a good idea to have him checked by a neurologist to be on the safe side. as they seem to be frequent. .

Answer 2

I would definitly take him to a doctor asap. If he is unresponsive during the time he shakes, then I would say it's a pretty good guess he is having a seizure. But get him to a doctor just to be sure.

Answer 3

i think it is....different people do different things when they have a siezure...call his pediatrician asap !!