Convulsion In Children

Convulsion is a sudden, involuntary shaking of one or all parts of the body due to muscle contraction caused by an abnormal activity in the brain.

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Convulsions are rapid and seize within a few seconds or minutes. The length of time during convulsions and reoccurrence should be noted as this shows the severity of the underlying cause and may determine the extent of complications.

Children, especially those under five children are prone to having more episodes of convulsions due to a range of causes, the most common being high fever and febrile convulsion.

Other causes include:

– Infections such as meningitis, severe malaria, etc.

– Brain injury or tumor.

– Brain damage.

– Epilepsy.

– Birth defects.

– Low blood sugar.

– Shock.

– Low sodium levels.

– Drugs.

– Pre-term birth.

– Alcohol.

– Rarely, post-vaccination.

– Other medical conditions affecting the brain and nerves.

– In very few cases, the cause may be unknown.

Signs and symptoms.

– Involuntary nodding of the head.

– Loss of consciousness.

– Sudden unexplained falls.

– Drooling.

– Eyes rolling back, twitching eyelids, or staring blankly.

– Changes in breathing; difficulty breathing, cessation of breathing or pause in breathing cycle.

– Bluish skin, especially around the face, and lips, showing a lack of oxygen.

– Stiffening of the arms, legs, or whole body.

– Jerky movements of the arms, legs, body, or head.

– Lack of control over movements.

– Loss of bowel or bladder control, this is seen as involuntary urination and passing of feces.

– Inability to respond.

– Vomiting.

Diagnosis/Treatment.

The cause of convulsion is usually confirmed in the hospital on examination, taking the child’s health history and tests such as;

– Blood tests.

– Urine tests.

– Spinal tap.

– Brain imaging and other tests to check the electrical activity in the brain.

Treatment is targeted at stopping convulsions with anticonvulsant drugs and then tackling the root cause.

– In cases of febrile convulsions, drugs are given to control the temperature.

– Antibiotics or antiviral or anti-malaria drugs may be given in cases of infections.

– Antiepileptic drugs and other specialized care for children with epilepsy.

– Other drugs are given depending on the root cause of the convulsion.

– Drips may be given in cases of dehydration and to replace electrolytes.

– Assisted breathing procedures may be done for cases where the breathing is severely affected.

– Surgery; for cases of brain tumors or other abnormalities that require surgery.

First aid for a convulsing child.

– Call for help.

– Place the child to lie on one side on a soft, flat surface where they cannot fall from.

– Check the time to note how long the convulsion lasts.

– Reduce crowd and open windows to improve ventilation.

– Remove tight clothes, especially around the chest, neck, and head.

– Clear the environment of sharps or furniture that can cause injury to the child.

– DO NOT put anything into the child’s mouth.

– DO NOT try to restrain the child or stop the convulsion.

– DO NOT pour water on the child, this can cause a shock and aggravate the condition.

– DO NOT shake or slap the child.

– DO NOT offer water or food till the child is fully alert.

– Take the child to the hospital for care.

Complications of convulsions.

– Poor learning abilities.

– Injuries due to falls.

– Behavioral issues.

– Permanent brain damage.

– Breathing food or fluids into the lungs causing infection.

– Side effects from medications used for treatment.

Prevention.

– Seek medical care whenever a child falls ill.

– When a child is feverish, try to control temperature by giving a bath or prescribed temperature medications.

– Ensure that your child is vaccinated against childhood illnesses.

– Adequate sleep and rest.

– Avoid giving children alcohol.

– Avoid administering unprescribed medications to children.

– For epileptic children, avoid triggers and do not miss their medications.