Epilepsy in Children: Symptoms & Diagnosis
Epilepsy isa neurological condition (affecting the brain and nervous system) where a person has a tendency to have seizures that start in the brain. The brain is made up of millions of nerve cells that use electrical signals to control the body’s functions, senses and thoughts. If the signals are disrupted, the person may have an epileptic seizure (sometimes called a ‘fit’ or ‘attack’). Not all seizures are epileptic.Other conditions that can look like epilepsy include fainting (syncope) due to a drop in blood pressure, and febrile convulsions due to a sudden rise in body temperature when a young child is ill. These are not epileptic seizures because they are not caused by disrupted brain activity. What Causes Epilepsy? Epilepsy can be caused by infections, genetic mutations, brain injury or a tumor, abnormal blood vessels, or bleeding in the brain. Kids with Down syndrome, autism, and some metabolic disorders also may have epilepsy. Some types of epilepsy run in familie