7 Main Causes of Epilepsy in Childhood

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that impacts millions of people worldwide. It is a chronic ailment that causes recurrent seizures, which are sudden, uncontrollable explosions of electrical activity in the brain.

Epilepsy can be caused by a miscellany of factors, including genetics, brain serious injury, infection, wound, and more. While there is no cure for epilepsy, it can be supervised with certain medications and other treatments. One of the most important things for patients with epilepsy is to have a solid support system in place, including medical experts and loved ones who can assist them manage their situation. 

Living with epilepsy can be challenging, but it is important to remember that it is a manageable condition. With the right medications and support, people with epilepsy can lead full and functional lives.

Common causes of epilepsy include:- 

There are many common causes for which epilepsy can occur. Let’s discuss some of them in detail:-

• Traumatic brain injury:- 

Seizers of epilepsy in childhood can be caused by traumatic brain injury. It is not acute but can happen to patients after months and years of the TBI. It is one of the most common symptoms of epilepsy because epilepsy is associated with the brain and any injury to the brain increases the chances of epilepsy in the patient. Not every patient with Traumatic brain injury needs to develop seizures and it also depends upon the age, sex, and medical conditions of the patient.

Epilepsy can occur in both conditions closed injury and open injury. Closed injury is when the skull is not fractured or cracked at the time of TBI and open injury refers to the penetration of foreign elements inside the skull.

• Damage of scarring after infections of the brain:- 

It was once believed that epilepsy was induced by damage to the brain caused by infections such as measles. Now, however, it is known that scarring of the brain due to infection is not what exactly causes epilepsy rather, it is believed that the immune system plays an important role in causing epilepsy.

The researchers studied patients who were born with a rare condition called hydrocephalus, which involves an abnormal buildup of fluid inside the skull. The researchers looked at how hydrocephalus affects the brain and found that as scar tissue forms in the brain from infection, it may worsen seizures and lead to epilepsy in childhood.

• Birth defects that involve the brain:-

Epilepsy also occurs when the birth is premature or the oxygen is not able to circulate in all the parts of the brain. Sometimes brain infections at the period of birth are also a reason behind the onset of epilewhich that can occur at any point of time in life.

The seizures can be of any sort, including generalized convulsions and focal seizures, and may include cerebral palsy, chromosomal abnormalities, and other infections at the time of birth.

• Brain injury that occurs during or near birth:- 

Brain injury can also occur at the time of labor or trauma that causes damage to the brain of the infant and results in the occurrence of seizures which leads to epilepsy in childhood if the condition is serious. Circulation of lack of oxygen to all the parts of the brain plays another role in the onset of epilepsy in the newborn which can arise at any point of time in life. Compression of the umbilical cord and premature detachment from the placenta can also be a cause behind the occurrence of epilepsy in newborns.

• Metabolic disorders present at birth ( such as phenylketonuria):- 

It is also known as PKU. It is due to the birth error in the metabolism of the newborn which causes decreased metabolism of the amino phenylalanine. It should be treated on time otherwise it leads to severe behavioral problems, mental disorders, seizures, and even the beginning of epilepsy in childhood. This is a rare inherited disease found in newborns.

• Benign and malignant brain tumor:- 

Benign and malignant tumors are also responsible for the onset of seizures in the patient. The severity depends on the grade of the tumor. Normally benign tumors are the reason behind the beginning of epilepsy in patients. They have favorable and unfavorable aspects. The seizures vary according to the grade of tumor present 60%-100% chances are positive for low grades whereas 40%-60% chances are there for high-grade tumors.

Treatment of epilepsy in a child

• Medication

There is various class of drug available for epilepsy in a child, the medical science has discovered more effective and accurate formulas for epilepsy in a child from which some of which are mentioned carbamazepine, valproate,  valproic acid, phenytoin are the most commonly used drugs in epilepsy in a child.

 • Surgery

Surgery is the stage where all the medications and other treatments have failed outcomes. Then doctors will take support of surgery to diminish and rate of seizures occurring in the child.  Normally Corpus Colostomy is a procedure to be done in children with severe epilepsy symptoms.

• Diet

Doctors generally prescribe a ketogenic diet in which the child has to eat up high-fat and low carbohydrates food. The diet is recommended for patients who fail to respond to the medications initially.

• Therapy

AEDs are the most typically used treatment for epilepsy. They support the control of severe and acute seizures in around 8 out of 10 children. AEDs work by altering the levels of chemicals in the brain of a child. They do not fix epilepsy totally but can prevent seizures from happening more often.

• Lifestyle modification

Epileptic children have strict lifestyles to reduce the symptoms. They have to take full sleep, have to do stress-free work, and need to engage in physical activities such as meditation, and yoga, along with some other lenient bodily workouts. 

Conclusion:-

Epilepsy in Childhood can convert into a serious disorder if left untreated. The common symptoms include loss of consciousness, stiffening, breathing problems, digestive issues, and jerking movements in the body. By properly specified treatment, diet, and lifestyle it can be controlled to a great extent. An expert will examine your symptoms, determine the underlying reason, and create a thorough strategy to cure your treatment and enhance your quality of life. However, a Neurologist specialist may diagnose its root cause, and give cutting-edge treatments as they have a better understanding of headaches and all kinds of brain problems. If you are facing severe Epilepsy, then you should consult the Best Neurologist In Jaipur. Dr. Sumit Kamble is the most reputed neurology doctor in Jaipur and has years of work experience and is the best neurologist in Jaipur for Epilepsy treatment and also for treating ailments such as brain stroke treatment, Headache treatment, Parkinson’s disease, and spine difficulties.