My son has mentioned a symptom that concerns me, asked the regular psychologist he is seeing, he says don’t worry about it, but can’t seem to explain it.
For the past several years, every now and then he would say that his body “just doesn’t feel right.” He would then just lay on the couch and watch tv, but quiet usually for the rest of the evening.
The other day we were riding in the car and out of the blue he says “it’s happening again” I’m driving while trying to understand what the heck he’s talking about. He says that he’s confused. I tell him to recline the seat back and relax. When we get home he goes straight to the bed. I follow him and ask for more details. He tells me that every once in a while he gets confused, forgets where he is, what he is doing, but it only lasts a few seconds but it really scares him when it happens.
I ask how he makes it better. He says he just has to stop and look around, then it goes away. Of course I am ready to freak out. We have been slowly going through the process of a neuropsych eval. She had asked about seizure history, etc. I said no, other than my mother who has epilepsy, because I had forgotten about the “my body just doesn’t feel right” thing.
Our next appointment isnt until the 28th, but I’m wondering if I should insist on moving it up or if it can wait. It is so hard to get in to her office. Does this sound like a seizure or a panic attack?
Re: possible seizure or anxiety?
My son was also dx with complex partial seizures when he was 11, He is 17 now. At first he did just say that he felt “funny” but most of the time when he is having one he may be talking (saying “Im ok” or whatever) but really he has no control of whats happening. He may stumble or have a hard time staying standing.. They only last for a minute but he is a little confused for a few more after that.
He also had auditory processing difficulties even before he started having the seizures. He is on meds now but isnt fully conrolled. In our case the EEG and MRI confirmed the seizure activity and focal point of the seizures but thats not always the case. The Epilepsy Foundation (www.EFA.org) is pretty helpful for info. Good luck
Becky
Re: possible seizure or anxiety?
How often does he get these “feelings”? Can you see any pattern? Keep a log for the neuropsych that indicates what was happening before, during and after the event. Also, note day and time. How long does he have the “feeling”? The more information you can provide, the better the doctor will be at assessing. I would also check with the pediatrician since there is a history of epilepsy.
Jean
Re: possible seizure or anxiety?
At around 11, our son started to have complex partial seizures. He would be fully alert and able to talk to us when they were happening but he would be terrified when they occurred. During an episode he would have perceptual distortions and everything (including me talking) seemed to happen way too fast. His sense of fear was heightened. To me they seemed very similar to his night terrors only he was fully awake. Each episode lasted 2 to 3 minutes. At first, we could sometimes make the sensation stop by asking him to try to solve a math problem in his head. In his case, they seemed to be somehow associated with fevers. If he’d been sick with a fever, he would get them with increased frequency in the weeks following the illness. Then nothing for a few months until another illness came along.
We saw a neurologist about it. He didn’t feel they warranted great concern. He did the appropriate tests to rule out anything serious (EEG and MRI). Our son continued to have them off and on for the next two years but now at 14 he has not had one in a long time.
I agree with Jean’s comment about keeping a log and asking him to describe his sensations as specifically as he can because the sensations may identify what area of the brain is involved.
Re: possible seizure or anxiety?
How helpful will the psychologist be any way? There are a lot of explanation as to why he’s having those symptoms. Mental fatigue perhaps. Low blood sugar. Sezieure? Migraine? Illegal drugs? Meds? This should be looked into before he gets his driver’s licence. Epilepsy could explain it. After a seizure much of what is learned is forgotten. Your psychologist sounds like a dork.
Re: possible seizure or anxiety?
On this topic. isn’t there a diet that successfully treats epilepsy? Doses of a certain kind of oil and avoiding certain foods can reduce and control seizures wo meds? maybe DAD could answer this. Interesting because it seems I remember seeing somthing about this on 60 minutes years back adn the diet seemed to nvolve the same sort of oils that are now being talked about helping LD’s ???!!!
Re: possible seizure or anxiety?
Its called the ketogenic diet and it is used to control certain types of epilepsy. Usually it is used as a last resort because it is so difficult. Basically it involves eating fats but not much else so you are kind of starving yourself…Even though meds are not controlling my sons seizures there is no way that could be an option for him….try to get a 17 year old to eat only 500 calories of food a day (actually I don’t know how many calories it allows but its not much and the types of foods are very limited)
Re: possible seizure or anxiety?
Thanks for the clarification. Do you remember the name of the clinic that specializes in it. Is it in Baltimore? Seems like it was run by a nun? Wondering if my brain is completely gone or are someof these facts are right?
Good luck with your son. Why there can’t be a solution that involves eating pizza and cream doughnuts night and day seems like bad planning by the higher power.
Have you applied for one of the seizure dogs?
lulu,
It just might be a seizure. My son (11) has finally been diagnosed with absence and partial complex seizures. The absence seizures are the ones he has more frequently. When they occur he kinda stops what he is doing and stares then comes to and sometimes will say he is very sleepy. At first when we really started noticing them they appeared to be mood changes/swings. Then he had a complex partial seizure in school that involved his arm too and that set us on the path to the neurologist for EEGs, etc.
The explanation of absence seizures is that they are 2-10 seconds in length, the person loses consciousness (sp?) but their eyes will remain open. They sometimes come to and say “what or huh”.
A lot of people with seizures feel an “aura” before one occurs which they describe in different ways. My son will sometimes say “I can’t feel my arm” and then we might notice an absence seizure. So the feeling your son is describing might be prior to a seizure.
My son has probably been having them since birth but they are difficult to notice sometimes and the child often appears to not be paying attention, etc. My son also has auditory processing problems so we chaulked up a lot of the “what and huhs” to that. It was during an extended neuropsych evaluation that the absence seizures were really noticeable because the doctor was sitting directly across from him the entire time.
I would consult with a neurologist. The seizures can interfere with learning and memory and just plain be a little scary. But there is medication to control them and some kids grow out of them.
Let me know if you need any more information.
Pam(SC)