Toddler Epilepsy Symptoms - Treatment, Causes, Medications, Surgery

Toddler Epilepsy Symptoms: Signs of Epilepsy, Conditions and Prevention

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which the patient suffers temporarily from a heavy electrical impulse that is generated in the brain and runs down through the central nervous system, causing a temporary disturbance in the normal functioning of vital body organs. The patient may suddenly become partially or totally unconscious, and his/her body may start jerking sharply and involuntarily.

To an observer, it looks as though the patient is under some sort of trance. Exhaustion and stress are often responsible for triggering epileptic attacks.

Toddler Epilepsy Conditions

A large portion of such cases occur before the age of 5 or after the age of 65. Toddlers may experience this condition if their body temperature rises too high, either because of fever or due to extreme heat outside. Thus, if the toddler has been suffering from a major infection and has been wrapped in warm clothes for a long period of time, she becomes vulnerable to epileptic attacks. Other causes behind epilepsy include lead poisoning, head injuries and brain tumors. In a few cases, epilepsy occurs because of improper development of the brain in the fetal stage during pregnancy. The signs of epilepsy in toddlers are the involuntary twitching of the muscles of the mouth, lack of response to outside activities, and a stiffening of the body. The child may also lose his/her balance and fall on the floor in a state of unconsciousness.

Other symptoms of epilepsy in toddlers are unusual sensations of sounds, tastes and smells that the patient reports after s/he recovers from the seizure.

Preventing Epilepsy in Toddlers

There are a few basic precautionary measures that you should take to take care of toddlers who face this problem. Make sure that the body temperature of your child does not shoot up to dangerously high levels, as this can affect her brain adversely and render her susceptible to fits and seizures. Also, it is advisable not to try stopping the involuntary body spasms that the child experiences during an epileptic fit. Place the child on a soft bed to ensure that she does not hit herself hard by falling on a hard surface during the fit. Make the surroundings of the toddler cool and comfortable by loosening her bedclothes and opening the windows of her room to allow fresh air in. It also helps to soak a soft towel in a tub of lukewarm water and place it gently over the child's forehead and her inner arms. Once the seizure is over, put the child to sleep and call a doctor for advice