Compassionate, Patient-Centered Care for Children with Epilepsy

Signs and Symptoms of a Seizure Disorder

There are many different types of seizures disorders, not all of which are epilepsy. Some have easily recognized symptoms while others don’t have any obvious outward signs at all. Because early intervention is extremely important in the successful treatment of epilepsy, parents should schedule an evaluation with a UH Rainbow epileptologist if they observe any of the following symptoms in their child:

• Becoming unresponsive for short periods of time
• Changes in behavior and personality
• Changes in vision and/or speech
• Clumsiness or falling for no reason
• Confusion
• Depression and/or anxiety
• Learning difficulties
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Persistent head nodding
• Prolonged staring or rapid eye blinking
• Tremors or stiffening of the body

All of these symptoms can also be signs of other disorders so it is important to seek professional help to determine the cause and whether or not they are epilepsy- or seizure-related. When you bring your child to the Epilepsy Center at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s, our specialists will conduct a comprehensive evaluation designed to either confirm an epilepsy diagnosis or find another condition that is causing the symptoms.

Comprehensive Testing to Ensure an Accurate Diagnosis

At the Pediatric Epilepsy Center at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, our experts use a variety of proven methods to treat young patients with seizure disorders. Because determining the right course of treatment is so important, our pediatric epilepsy team first conducts comprehensive diagnostic testing to determine the type of seizure disorder and each child’s unique needs to assist them in devising a personalized treatment plan. The diagnostic process will be as follows:

Each child will first be evaluated by a pediatric epileptologist, a physician who specializes in the care of children with epilepsy. In addition to taking a complete medical and family history, and asking about the type, duration and severity of the symptoms your child is experiencing, your specialist may order bloodwork, urine tests and one or more of the following diagnostic procedures: