Epilepsy in Children

Types of Seizures

1. Focal Seizures
   When one or more regions of one side of the brain experience abnormal electrical brain activity, it can result in focal seizures. Your child may experience an aura or warning signals that a seizure is about to start before a focal seizure.

2. Generalised Seizures
   A generalised seizure may occur on both sides of the brain. After the seizure, your child will become exhausted and may lose consciousness (postictal state).

Causes of Epilepsy

According to the WHO, the cause of epilepsy cannot be identified in roughly 50% of cases. Seizures can develop due to various circumstances, some of which may include the following.

1. Head trauma, including traumatic brain injury after an accident causing scarring and head injury (post-traumatic epilepsy).

2. A serious illness or a high temperature.

3. Insufficient oxygen to the brain -Brain cysts or tumours.

4. Infectious infections like HIV and AIDS and meningitis

5. Maternal use of certain medicines, prenatal harm, brain deformity, or lack of oxygen at birth.

6. Genetic or developmental problems or neurological illnesses.

Symptoms of Epilepsy in children

The type of seizure determines your child's symptoms. However, some of the common seizure symptoms or warning indications can include:

1. Staring

2. Arms and legs jerking back and forth

3. Stiffening of the body

4. Loss of awareness

5. Issues with breathing or halted breathing

6. A lack of bladder or bowel control

7. Unexpected, seemingly-unrelated fall, especially due to unconsciousness

8. No response to sounds or speech for brief moments

9. Showing signs of confusion or haze

10. Repeatedly nodding the head with loss of awareness

11. Rapid eye blinking and staring episodes

Diagnosis of Epilepsy in children

Our doctor will enquire about your child's symptoms and medical background. They may also want to know about additional elements that could have contributed to your child's seizure, such as -

1. Recent fever or illness

2. Head trauma

3. Premature birth

4. Recent medications

Your kid might also undergo:

1. Neurological examination

2. Blood tests to check for blood sugar and other issues

3. An MRI or CT scan are examples of imaging testing for the brain.

4. Electroencephalogram - To examine the electrical activity in your child's brain

5. Additional tests to measure the pressure in the brain and spinal canal and test the cerebral spinal fluid for infections or other issues via a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).

The neurologists at Neuropedia have admission privileges in various hospitals across Dubai and Abu Dhabi and can carry out inpatient 3 to 5 days of Videotelemetry. Moreover, they ensure no stone is left unturned during your child's diagnosis and epilepsy treatment in Dubai.

Epilepsy treatment in Dubai

The epilepsy program at Neuropedia provides promising options for many children with epilepsy. We have the expertise and equipment to evaluate complex epilepsy in children. We carry out standard and sleep-deprived EEGs, prolonged ambulatory EEGs, and video-telemetry.

The Neuropedia facility offers all the knowledge and tools necessary to identify and treat epilepsy. Medications are typically used to treat epilepsy in an effort to reduce the frequency of seizures. But occasionally, surgery or a change in diet are also recommended to treat the symptoms.

The doctor may recommend one or a combination of the following therapies to treat epilepsy.

1. Medication
   The doctor will take note of the type of seizure and recommend one or more oral medications. IV or intravenous injections may be used in specific circumstances. The epilepsy drugs, however, may have negative effects; therefore, they should only be given to children as prescribed.

2. Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
   Using VNS, Electrical impulses are supplied to the brain to prevent or regulate seizures. The vagus nerve, a sizable nerve on the side of the neck, is where the electrical impulses are sent. The doctor then surgically implants a tiny coin-sized gadget under the skin of the chest that can be controlled by a smaller external device. To reduce the likelihood of seizures, the VNS emits electrical impulses every few minutes.

3. Ketogenic diet
   The ketogenic diet is quite an effective method of treating epilepsy. It is a diet high in fat and low in protein and carbohydrates, which helps lower seizure episodes.

4. Surgery
   During surgery, the area of the brain that causes seizures may be removed. Epilepsy surgery is a challenging technique carried out by neurosurgeons and other associated experts.

Choose Neuropedia for the best Epilepsy treatment in Dubai

As a child-focused neuroscience institute, Neuropedia assists kids with neurological and speech issues. It is led by the top pediatric neurologists in Dubai.

Our epilepsy program provides educational opportunities and training for physicians, patients, and their families. Referring physicians can send patients for consultations, specific procedures, or educational training by contacting the center directly.

Therefore, you can trust us to take care of your child's epilepsy treatment in Dubai in the best possible modality. Besides, you can be confident that we have the most professional team of doctors and specialists working together to offer your kid the best paediatric and neurological care.