Any experience of teen onset seizures?

[lugeforlife]

Well not quite teen. Dd is 12.

She has had quite a poorly year - 2 sets of Covid, started periods including a horrific couple of months where it was pretty much on going. Nasty flu as well. Quite disturbed sleep and what she describes as waking nightmares as well as usual nightmares.

Obviously taken to the gp who said just a run of bad luck. Rest, iron supplements. He wasn't worried about the waking nightmares at all. She has bounced back and is pretty much back to normal which includes a lot of sport, she's put a little bit of weight on and generally looks heaps better.

She stopped mentioning the waking nightmares but has come into me tonight to say she's had 2 today and has still been having them albeit much less frequently. They went away almost completely during the holidays.

As she describes them they are very short and she's fully aware throughout. Things sort of appear distorted and bigger than they should be but if she is distracted by something it all goes back to normal immediately. She has a feeling of anxiety at the same time. To be honest, when I google (I know I know) it sounds a bit like Alice in wonderland syndrome.

Now, when I was a teen I had weird deja vu episodes which were very similar. My gp suspected absence seizures but tests never showed anything up and I grew out of them. Obviously we are going back to the gp but I was curious to see if anyone else had similar experiences.

She's just had an eye test and like I say, generally thriving now. Gets a bit dizzy if she gets up too fast.

Years ago one of my school friends described something similar to the day dreams and difficulty telling what was real. She apparently grew out out of it and I never saw any sign of it in our late teens.

Hi,
I was epileptic from 17-31. The first one was due to going to sleep with extreme anxiety. Then it went into a kind of 4-6 weekly pattern. No one told me then that it can be related to hormones. I am probably sensitive to hormones as have always had massive PMS etc.
I had seizures only in sleep apart from maybe 3 occasions.
The times I went into one (full on seizures not absences) from awake I had an appalling sense of deja vu just before. It was so intense, I mean I was certain I had experienced that moment before. I heard it could be due to the seizure starting in the part of the brain that understands time… Amazing.

Thanks both. @zzzexhaustedzzz that is really interesting. I know that it's a fairly common time for these things to kick off and she's had quite a tricky start with her periods so it wouldn't surprise me. Also interesting re sleep - she does get nightmares and she describes these as an extension of them.

GP is calling this morning so fingers crossed he'll take her seriously as she's a bit worried (and put my mind to rest as I'm catastrophsing!)

I had teleopsia (things appearing further away) linked to migraines and vertigo after Covid, they were very triggered by my menstrual cycle. I also had sleep issues relating to Covid.

DD1 also used to have vivid daydreams when she was sleep deprived, she also would have difficulty getting to sleep and sleep walking around the same time. When we sorted out her sleep and the issues causing a disturbance it went away. Seizure activity can also be influenced by lack of sleep too.

I am aware that these things can also happen with seizures, but that it is rare. I hope your appointment with the GP goes well this morning. If possible try to get her to keep a diary of days, times, feelings and experiences so that if you see a paediatrician you can show them. Also if you notice episodes when she is vacant and not responding then try to video if you can.

You might also find Long Covid Kids helpful as there are children with neurological issues such as seizures post-Covid and speaking to other parents about experiences with their children might help navigate getting help.

@Choconuttolata that is also very useful. She didn't have actual Covid badly did definitely have it twice and all in all a pretty rough year for her health wise.

GP call was useful. He thinks anxiety possibly hormone triggered as a starter. She's tracking a few things and we're going back in a month. I am very anxious (suffered very badly post natal) as is my mum. Plus she's shown that tendency before and is a known bottler of things so it would be no surprise tbh.

She seems to feel a bit relieved and is very happy back to school. It occurred to me that we've been talking a bit about cost of living/Ukraine/Truss and as an intelligent over thinker of a child she's probably quietly getting wound up - she did similar at the start of the pandemic. That may explain why she was fine over the holidays when all she did was mess around with her mates....

Glad she is doing well and enjoying being back at school.
Events currently in the world are hard enough for adults to deal with let alone teens and children.
Good that school provides a bit of normality for her.

I would say though that severity of Covid does not necessarily mean a lack of post-Covid issues, I know of adults children and young people who had what would be termed a mild case, but for whom the post-Covid effects have been anything but, so don't let that stop you reaching out for advice if she is still experiencing issues.