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About 300,000 young Americans under the age of 14 have child epilepsy. It affects children at different ages, and in different ways. For some, it will be a temporary problem, easily controlled with medication, outgrown after a few years. For others, it may be a lifelong challenge affecting many areas of life. Medical treatment of childhood epilepsy is getting better, and research towards a cure continues. More medications are now available.
For children whose seizures are not controlled by medication or who experience unacceptable side-effects, several treatments including surgery, the ketogenic diet, and the vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) may be effective in treating child epilepsy.
Child epilepsy may be time limited or long term. Early recognition and treatment are keys to the best possible outcome. It may be associated with serious, difficult-to-treat syndromes, including infantile spasms, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, genetically related conditions, and developmental disorders.
Also called West Syndrome, these are clusters of rapid myoclonic jerks causing a baby to double up and jerk forward with their arms either bent or extended. They have a distinctive EEG pattern called hypsarrhythmia. This epilepsy syndrome is time limited, starting in the first year of life. Many children with infantile spasms have associated developmental delay and may go on to develop other forms of epilepsy, such as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Treatment may include steroid hormones, ACTH and antiepileptic drugs.
Social impact in childhood is often severe, producing isolation and loss of self esteem. The adolescence period is a time of increased risk of seizure onset or changes in seizure patterns. The inability to qualify for a driver's license is a significant barrier to teen social growth and independence. In addition, opportunities for work experience are limited by lack of transportation.
Attitudes towards child epilepsy among other young people often limit dating and other social interaction. Ridicule and even bullying are all too common within the school community.
For further information on child epilepsy, visit the Epilepsy Foundation.
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