CONVULSIVE DISORDERS
PRESENTERS:
KABWE
CHANDA
ELIAS
DEFINITION OF TERMS ( convulsion, seizure)
RISK FACTOR
CAUSES OF SEIZURES / CONVULSIONS
TYPES OF SEIZURES AND THEIR TREATMENT
CONTENTS EPILEPSY
STATUS EPILEPTICUS
TREATMENT OF EPILEPSY AND STATUS EPILEPTICUS
REFERENCES
Convulsions: Excessive abnormal muscle contractions, usually
bilateral, that may be
sustained or interrupted (motor seizures) (nelson 2008)
What are? Seizures: A seizure is a set of clinical symptoms associated with
abnormal electrical activity in neurons in the cortex of the
brain.
MAJOR MINOR
- Age < 1 year - Family h/o of febrile seizures
- Family h/o of epilepsy
RISK - Prolonged fever
- Hyper pyrexia
- Complex febrile seizures
- Male gender
FACTORS - Infections - Electrolytes imbalance
Acute/subacute
Metabolic causes
Hypoglycemia, hypo or hypernatremia, hypocalemia
Intoxications/ toxins (lead)
Infectious/Inflammatory
CAUSES OF Meningitis, encephalitis, sepsis
SEIZURES Post-infectious or autoimmune causes
Fever*
Trauma
Vascular accidents
Chronic/ Progressive
Remote insults
Perinatal asphyxia or vascular insult
Past head injury
Developmental brain abnormalities
Agenesis of the corpus callosum, schizencephaly,
cortical dysplasia
CONT……. Inborn errors of metabolism
Storage disorders, amino acid disorders, organic
acid disorders
Neurocutaneous disorders
Cerebral degenerative diseases
TYPES OF
SEIZURES
Precipitating factors
◦ Position, activity, intercurrent illness,
medications
Description of the episode
◦ Eye movements, body movements, one sided or
APPROACH both sides, loss of consciousness or alteration of
TO consciousness, incontinence, duration,
aftereffects
DIAGNOSIS Predisposing factors
◦ Past medical history, recent illness or
neurological symptoms, family history
History
Associated symptoms, intercurrent illness, recent
medications, exposures (drugs,toxins, pets), past
medical history ( birth history, developmental
history, family history)
Examination
Fever or other abnormal vital signs
CONTI….. Head size, skin abnormalities (hypo/hyperpigmented
areas) ,asymmetry of the face or the extremities,
enlarged organs, dysmorphic features
Alteration of mental status, cranial nerve
abnormalities, motor tone or strength or reflex
changes, gait abnormalities,ataxia, sensory
abnormalities.
FEBRILE CONVISION
Seizure in children between the age of 6 months and 5 years
TYPES OF in association with fever but without evidence of an
intracranial infection in a neurologically normal child
CONVULSIO Rapidly rising temp more than 38 degrees celcius
NS OR Average age of onset: 18 months to 22 months
SEIZURES Boys more than girls
Lab investigations, although routine, usually
unhelpful, in the evaluation of first time seizure
CT is not warranted in the evaluation of simple
febrile convulsions but considered for complex
Study of 71 patient with complex seizures
Investigation of None had an intracranial condition requiring
febrile seizures treatment
Routine EEG is seldom necessary
??LP
Simple febrile seizure probable not indicated
Probable those with prolonged post-ictal phase
Oxygen and supportive care, tepid sponging
Diazepam iv 0.2 to 0.3 mg /kg slowly or rectal 0.5mg /kg
Treatment of Antipyretics
febrile Paracetamol 10 to 15mg //kg/dose TDS or QID
Assess the cause of fever and treat appropriately
convulsion Counsel parents
a paroxysmal alteration in neurological function (i.e behavioral,
Neonatal motor or autonomic function)either or all three, occurring
within 28days of the new born.
seizures
Subtle seizures
Deviation of the eyes
Eyelids are flickering
Swimming or pedaling movements
Apnoeic spells
Drooling
TYPES OF Sucking
NEONATAL Abnormal cry
SEIZURES Tonic
Clonic
Myoclonic
Seldom tonic clonic seizures
Perinatal:
HIE
Metabolic
Hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia
hypomagnesemia
Other
CAUSES OF Infections
NS Structural abnormalities; malformation syndromes
Genetic disorders
Hemorrhage
Optimize ventilation, cardiac output, BP, glucose, electrolytes
and pH.
Treat the underlying disease
Intravenous line is essential
TREATMENT Treat the seizures promptly and vigorously
Phenobarbitone
Phenytoin
Two or more unprovoked seizures that occur at interval greater
than 24 hours. (Unrelated to fever or acute cerebral)
EPILEPSY It is a symptom complex arising from disordered brain that
maybe secondary to other pathological processes.
Ease the patient to the floor or lowest positon if possible
APPROACH Protect the head with a pad
TO SEIZURE Loosen constrictive clothing
MANAGEME Remove any objects that might injure the patient
Place patient on the side
NT
Correction of glucose, electrolyte, magnesium, and calcium
disturbances;
control of blood pressure and oxygenation;
TREATMENT administration of benzodiazepines and a series of routine
anticonvulsants.
Treat infection
Drugs commonly used Newer drugs
Clobazam
Carbamazepine Oxcarbazepine
Sodium valproate Gabapentin
Vigabatrin
TREATMENT Clonazepam
Phenobarbitone
Lamotrigine
Phenytoin
Antiepileptics can cause convulsions
Benzodiazepines can induce Tonic Clonic seizures
Carbamazepine may exacerbate absence seizures
First line treatment.
CONTI…….. Absence:
Sodium valproate
Focal and Generalized TC:
Carbamazepine
status epilepticus in children refers to more than 5 minutes of
continuous seizure or 2 or more discrete seizures with
STATUS incomplete or without recovery of consciousness between the
EPILEPTICUS attacks.
Types of status epilepticus;
1. Generalized convulsive status epilepticus include major
motor seizures and recurrent GTC convulsions
TYPES 2. Non convulsive status epilepticus include recurrent
nonconvulsive seizures, which include absence status,
partial complex status, and simple partial status)
FBC, DC
RBS
Electrolytes, urea and Creatinine
LFTs
INITIAL Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphate
INVESTIGATIO Lactate levels
NS CSF studies
CT scan
EEG
Give 10% dextrose 5ml/kg stat and then infusion over 4 to 6
hrs. (in case hypoglycemia caused seizures)
Diazepam IV 0,2 to 0.4mg/kg stat. up to 2 dose. Lorazepam is
better. It does not depress respirations and is longer acting
TREATMENT If seizures continue, Phenytoin IV loading dose of 15 to 20
mg/kg in 20mls saline. At a rate of 0.5 to 1mg/kg/min
Phenobarbitone is next in line. IV 20mg/kg in 20mls saline at
a rate of 2mg/kg/min, then maintenance 5mg/kg OD or 2
divided doses
IN Propofol infusion 5-10 mg/kg/hr after bolus 2 mg/kg
PERSISTENT Midazolam infusion 1 - 10 mcg/kg/min after bolus 0.15 mg/kg
STATUS IV sodium Valproate
EPILEPTICUS
General Peadiatrics protocols adopted from ADH, First edition
Coovadias Peadiatrics and child health, 7th edition
Nelsons book of paediatrics
REFERENCES Medscape
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