another question about absence seizures/ frontal lobe epilepsy

[wildflowermama]

I'm in the UK, so maybe the terminology is different.

The pediatric neurologist told me that my son might have frontal lobe epilepsy. He said it was the same thing as absence seizures, but what I've looked up online, they are not the same.

He also told me that most likely (depending of course on the eeg results) my son would be prescribed caramazepine. Anyone heard of this?

The eeg isn't scheduled for 8 to 12 weeks. It seems to me that if it is important that my son, should he be having seizures, need medicine wouldn't that be an awfully long time to wait?

He's having periods of spacing out during the day, tons of memory problems (short term), easily distracted, ect. The reason I came in is because he is having night terrors (he's had them for years), insomnia, sleep walking, and night mares. Mostly the night terrors and sleep walking.

He's 8 and also has ppd-nos (basically some sort of delay but they don't know what), sensory integration disorder, and an auditory processing disorder.

Thanks for your help,

Jo

[wildflowermama]

I really am getting more confused the more I research.

[GreenTeaGinger61]

My son has been recently dx with what may be juvenile myclonic epilepsy. He had his first grand mal seizure Thanksgiving morning at 4:43 am. He had awoken very early to do something. His MRI was normal but his EEG showed abnormalities while sleeping and that he was having absence seizures. It wasn't until his second grand mal seizure along with several partials that he was prescribed meds.

First, until your son has an EEG there is no way to tell if he is actually having the seizures. The way our neurologist explained it is that epilepsy is not a disease but rather a name that applies to frequency of unexplained seizures.

Second, epilepsy meds are pretty hardcore and a good dr. is not likley to prescribe them until they have a Dx. There is almost no chance your child will die from a seizure. But they are scary! And it's scary to think your child is having them even when you can't see them.

My son by the way had very similar night experiences as yours. One thing we've learned is that because of the absence seizures he was not sleeping well. Once he started his meds he began to sleep much better which has really helped his concentration. Good luck!

[anj_rn]

Any chance the med is Carbamazepime? That is the generic name for tegretol, which is a very effective seizure med, but one which you have to monitor levels for (draw blood to make sure the dosing is correct.) My DD has been on Keppra (levetiracetem) for almost 7 months. It controls her seizures well & she has not had any side effects.

I do not know of any neuro who would start meds without an EEG. Once meds have been started, you can expect future EEGs as well. I know the waiting is miserable, but hang in there.

[wildflowermama]

Yes! Thank you! That's it.

The EEG was Tuesday and we hear back in a fortnight.

I don't know what to think. It looked like he may have had an "episode" during the eeg, but it's so hard to tell.

I'm less concerned now. I am just ready to get to the bottom of this.

Jo