Question
The other night, my daughter was playing happily and I let her drink a bag of milk around 11 PM before she went to sleep. Half an hour later, I suddenly heard her breathing become rapid and loud. I rushed to see and found that her limbs were twitching. I quickly pressed her ‘Du-mian’ point (a pressure point on the face), and after a while, her limbs stopped twitching. Two weeks ago, she had a feverish fit, but she hasn’t had one since. She’s now over 7 years old. Is this situation epilepsy? I consulted a doctor at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital who advised me to observe her. Now it’s been two days and she’s been fine. I’m seeking help: Is my child suffering from epilepsy?
Answer
This situation should first be considered as a potential seizure, even if the EEG is normal, it cannot completely rule out the possibility of epilepsy. You can consider a 24-hour EEG and CT scan for consultation. If it’s an occasional occurrence, it’s advisable to observe; if it happens frequently, consider antiepileptic treatment. This is epilepsy, which is why symptoms like headaches, dizziness, tight jaw, and closed mouth with white foam may occur. An EEG can be done, and now you are taking sodium valproate orally to control the condition. It is recommended to go to a top-grade hospital’s neurology department for a brain MRI and EEG to determine if it is primary or secondary epilepsy, and then receive targeted treatment.