absence seizures in 14 month old

[Mumtobe202310]

Hi All,

Hope you're all doing well and your LO's too.

My son will be 15 months on the 28th of december.

I have recently been noticing he kind of blanks out for a few seconds, like he will be staring at something and if I put my hand up and down in front of him he won't blink straight away.

He avoids eye contact, he hardly makes eye contact and even if he does he doesn't like to maintain it for long.

He can say Amma and Abba whicheans mum and dad in my language, but no other words as of yet. That doesn't worry me though, it's the not responding that is worrying me.

I am worried that this may be absence seizures.

Please, I guess I just need a hand hold here. I had a very distressing period a month before I gave birth. And on top of that a very fast traumatic birth and then a horrible postpartum year due to crying etc due to my ex husband not being very supportive etc.

I might sound very crazy, but you know the month before he was born, I couldn't bottle in emotions any longer and cried a lot, like a mean a lottt. Do you think all this crying and also all the crying during postpartum may have caused this in my son particularly?

The guilt I feel is unreal. I know and have researched about absence seizures and children and nothing suggests that what I have mentioned causes it, but what I'm trying to ask is, in my situation, do you think all my crying and state of being caused it for my son? I hope I'm making sense.

Thank you so much in advance.

IF...and a big if, your baby turns out to be having absence seizures, it will have absolutely nothing to do with your emotional state during pregnancy or afterwards. It really has no connection whatsoever.
However if you are really worried that your baby is having absences then you need to record them and ask for a referral to a paediatrician... easier said than done I know, but generally absence seizures occur very frequently (I work with children who have special needs and years of experience with a whole range of seizure types) so you should be able to capture some moments if you set your phone up while doing something like feeding him in a high chair.. something where you can reasonably expect him to be alert.

But you don't sound crazy. .. or not to me. My youngest son was born with special needs and I was CONVINCED it was the coleslaw I ate in pregnancy to blame.... the paediatrician's face when I asked him was a picture... but that's what parenthood does to us !!!!

thank you so much, you're so validating and I really really appreciate it!

oh gosh, I can imagine the paediatrician face, but it goes to show how absolutely it was not because of what you did or didn't do. It was just meant to be. And these children are so pure, and special and innocent, I'm sure you're the most perfect Mama to your children. Honestly I know hands down those kinda thoughts, these irrational thoughts I have pretty much dealt with years before pregnancy so imagine during pregnancy and post partum 😭

Motherhood is the absolute wild but also the most beautiful thing ever, it's crazy.

Yes, I have recorded some clips of him during it to show them. I am waiting to make an appointment with my GP.

Thank you so much again for your response.

Just to let you know, I was diagnosed with absence seizures at a similar age and had completely grown out of them, as the vast majority of children do, by 6 yo. I'm 48 now and it hasn't affected my life at all. I feel sure your darling boy will be ok too.

Definitely see your GP and ask for a referral to paeds. See if you can capture any episodes on your phone. During an episode, see if your child is responsive to touch. (Sometimes they don't respond to noise, but do to touch, and that's really reassuring for it not being a fit). Keep a diary of episodes. Oh, and this has absolutely nothing to do with your emotional state of mind in pregnancy. I promise.