Possible 'absence seizures' - any advice

[Sticklebug]

My DS has had a problem with 'focus' at school and home since year one and at a recent parents evening the teacher suggested that we get his hearing tested as he often seems to not hear what she is saying. So had a hearing check last week - no problems with his hearing.

After his piano lesson today, his teacher asked to speak to me without him and asked me whether we had noticed DS 'tuning out' for a few seconds. Aparently teacher has noticed it a couple of times in recent lessons when he tunes out for a few seconds and rolls his eyes. Teacher is a primary teacher and first aider so has experience of this age group and has suggested that we get him checked for 'absence seizures'. Have looked on line and all seems very likely - I thought that he was just ignoring me when he stares and does not answer (which is why the hearing seem a plausible explanation).

I will arrange a dr appointment tomorrow, but any advice on this? Our dr is particularly stroppy about self diagnose - especially if the internet is involved! so don't want to get it wrong in voicing concerns....

Should of said DS is currently 7 and in year 3. Considered bright, but lacks focus and does not like group activities

Have doctors appointment for next Tuesday...any advice?

I suffer from absence seizures (now completely controlled by medication), was diagnosed as a child when I was around 10, but I know I was having them for quite a while before that. It was my mum who noticed something was wrong, and took me to the gp who referred me to a neurologist. Just start by explaining all the symptoms to the gp and see what they say, maybe keep a note of how many absences your DS has. Mine used to happen in clusters, several in a day for a couple of days then nothing for a week or two. Also ask your DS if he ever notices he has zoned out or has any memory loss. I was semi-aware of whats going on around me, but usually have a minute or so gap in my memory after a seizure. I also got a funny, almost metallic taste in my mouth so ask him about that as well. Armed with this information hopefully you will get the correct diagnosis and medication. Goodluck!

dd1 (also 7 and in Y3) is going to GP next week for exactly the same issue. I started a thread about it in General Health, if you want to check it out (sorry, no good at links) because there are some great posts on it - I'll try and find it and bump it up to top for you.

dd actually talked to me about her 'blank moments' as she calls them, because they were frightening her - but her teachers hadn't noticed, so I'm not sure if they are absence seizures or just spacing out when bored/tired/hungry. A paediatrician friend told me it was an easy diagnosis - GP should refer to paeds, who will arrange an EEG, which shows 'petit mal' or absence seizure clearly - whether any happen during the EEG or not, unlike 'grand mal' or full blown epilepsy.

I would just tell your stroppy GP the facts, and not voice the diagnosis unless he blatantly misses it - he really shouldn't, it would leap out at me, as a possibility, and I'm in no way a medic.

Thanks for the posts. I asked my DS about the episode with the teacher and he said 'yes that happens sometimes when I swap my brain with someone else for a little bit'. He said he 'forgets' what he is doing but 'remembers' what someone else is doing - a bit too weird for me!! Hopefully just his way of explaining an 'absence'. I feel that I am watching him v closely all the time now and need to chill out before dr appt next week.

Eilbean - have tried to find your post in general health, but am rubbish as this stuff and failed so if you can bump it that would be great...thanks

Stickle, just posted on other thread - but to add: dd describes it as 'I can't remember anything' and says she 'comes back into her mind' and looks around her to see where she is and what she's doing, then just gets on with it. She says 'sometimes I forget everything but I can hear whats going on' and other times 'I can't hear anything at all'.

I think it must be very hard for anyone to describe, tbh!

I spoke to the doctor today in advance of our appointment for DS next Tuesday as I did want to discuss too much detail in front of DS in case it is not absence seizures. DS can get quite anxious about things sometimes and very persistent about asking detailed questions. Anyhow Doctor (not normal one I was worried about) was great on the phone, said it was really useful to ask the detailed questions in advance so he can focus on talking to DS in the appointment.

Have spotted two more v short 'absences' today - only 3-5 seconds and when reading so cold just be thinking.....

Well done, thats a good idea - speaking in advance. I might see if I can do that too.

I haven't spotted anything today, but then as both dds and the dog decided to throw glitter/tantrums/each other around the place this evening, I doubt I'd have spotted an elephant in my kitchen

Saw the dr today, and he has referred DS to a neurologist. DS was particularly non compliant in the surgery and refused to speak to dr (not like him, usually a chatterbox), so the dr also asked if there was a general issue with focus and interacting with adults!! Spoke to DS afterwards and he is worried about his 'brain swapping' which is why he did not want to talk to dr.....

Poor DS! Kids worry about the most imaginative things, don't they

I'm glad you got the referral, Stickle. I am totally ashamed to say that due to a variety of sudden distractions, we forgot all about dd's appointment yesterday and missed it and have to make a new one for early in the New Year.

I think I partly relaxed about it all because dd said it hadn't happened at all for hte past week (that she's aware of) and her teachers haven't mentioned it either. But we still need to check it out, of course.

Any idea when your referral is likely to come through, or is that a silly question?

If you can get a clip of the seizure on a mobile/video it might help with the diagnosis.

Definitely record them and it's really useful that your ds himself is able to articulate them in a way that shows that he notices. It's much better to get this diagnosed young so you can treat. My bil wasn't diagnosed until he was a mid-teen, by which time he'd been excluded from schools for "not paying attention"; in reality there were just lots of bits of the day that he missed, including teachers' instructions, so he came across as a troublemaker but simply didn't know what he'd been asked to do. He wishes it had been picked up when he was small.

My ds2 was diagnosed aged 3 and, with medication, outward signs have disappeared. Of course, we don't know whether all symptoms have gone, but it's real progress.

Only drawback so far is that he sleeps very, very deeply and is more tired than other 4yos, which means he still sleeps in a nappy as there's no way he'd wake up needing the loo.

Best of luck. It really is best to start down the road of investigating your son's condition.

We have an appointment with a pediatrician this coming Friday. Dr rang to say that he thought a general pediatrician was better than a neurologist as may be wider issues. No 'absences' noticed since we saw dr!!! Am now completely unsure...

How's it going, Sticklebug? What did the paed say?

We have been referred to paeds for an EEG for dd1, although the GP (who has a fair bit of experience) thinks its probably nothing - low blood sugar, or just daydreaming.

Hope alls well with ds

The visit to the paediatrician went well - lots of tests and generally history taking. He did a test where DS had to blow a piece of tissue away for 3 minutes (looked like bloody hard work to me!), and that did not bring on any absence, but apparently it is not conclusive.

He has an EEG next week and then back to the paed for the results. I have also been asked to keep a diary and have seen nothing that looks like an absence, so we are also now thinking daydreaming.....

Well here's to a couple of head-in-the-clouds

Glad its going well, let me know how you get on!