About the Author: Susannah Koffman CCC-SLP Susannah administrates a group for people like you on Fac

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As a reliable resource of information on all seizure related topics, National Seizure Disorders Foundation brings you firsthand information about children and Absence seizures. The following are excerpts from forthcoming book Advice for Parents of Children with Absence la toque menu Seizures by Susannah Koffman CCC-SLP 2013). Susannah is currently la toque menu working on the publishing of her book. Look for her book( soon to be on Amazon) and many other seizure related reading la toque menu materials at NSDF Library of Knowledge Absence Seizures
One day, when our child was seven and half, I noticed la toque menu her staring up at the ceiling during her bath. Her eyes rose skyward for about 10 seconds and then she looked down again. What is it? What are you looking at? I asked during the third episode. There was no answer, a few seconds later, her eyes returned la toque menu to my face. What? She asked me Why are you staring at me? Then I realized she really didn t know what I was talking about.
Absence (pronounced ab-sonz) seizures are also known as petit mal seizures. According to the Mayo Clinic, an absence seizure involves a brief, sudden lapse of consciousness. Absence seizures occur in 07. To 8 per 100,000 of the general population, the highest prevalence is children aged 2-9 years old. The difficulty with absences seizures, is a teacher might mistake the spacing moments for daydreaming or attention deficit disorder (ADD). Parents often don t notice and sometimes learn their child has absence seizures after an EEG. Absence seizures may occur a few times during a day, or in some cases fifty or a hundred la toque menu times a day. The more that occur, the more likely people are noticing the episodes. Your child does NOT know they have had an absence seizure. After an episode it is important for the child s self-esteem and general mental well-being, not to keep asking do you know you spaced out? Do you know you had a seizure? Children are often momentarily la toque menu confused, la toque menu and for a child to process that they just did something they have NO memory of is disconcerting to them. There are a few children who will have a little awareness of something that happened. These are usually older children who may describe an feeling that was strange when they have come back from the absence seizure.
There are several ways you as a parent can identify an absence seizure. If it is a true absence seizure, calling the child s name during the episode will not get any response. Nor will waving your hand in front of the child s eyes or clapping suddenly. You may or may not notice some momentary confusion when your child returns to what they were doing. There are anecdotal reports la toque menu on the Facebook forum, la toque menu Parent s Forum of children With Absence Seizures continuing to walk, talk, eat and even swim while having an absence seizure!
You may get a report from a teacher that your child appears to be staring on an off and is unresponsive during these spells during class time. There may be staff at your child s school that are familiar with absence seizures, and will tell you they believe that your child experienced some episodes. More often than not, staff at a school will not know what this kind of seizure is. There are many examples of absence seizures on You Tube that will help you decide if your child is having absence seizures. la toque menu Ask your spouse or other family members if they have noticed the same thing. Contact your child s teacher also. My child s teacher said she was just about to call me about what she was seeing but I had beaten her to it. While your child is having an absences seizure, la toque menu If you are with your child, stop talking. Wait until you can see your child s gaze return to normal and then you can talk. Children cannot la toque menu hear while they are having a seizure, so you must wait. Your next step, depending on medical insurance la toque menu requirements is probably going to be an appointment with your child s pediatrician. It is handy but not essential, if you can capture an episode on video to show the doctor. Make some notes about what you are seeing. Tell the doctor approximately how many times your child is experiencing these moments. The doctor will then refer you to a neurologist who will be the specialist to formally diagnose absence seizures.
About the Author: Susannah Koffman CCC-SLP Susannah administrates a group for people like you on FaceBook. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Advice-for-parents-of-children-with-Absence-Seizures/173109952743400
This is an excellent general overview and detailed description of Epilepsy of

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