Advanced Myclonic Epilepsy in Children

Do you or somene you know suffer from Advanced Myclonic Epilepsy? Millions of Americans suffer from AME. About 2/3 of all people diagnosed with AME are under the age of 16. Nearly 80% of our nations population has some sort of myclonic seizures at some point in their lives. Infants experience myclonic seizures from birth until they are older. Most children grow out of myclonic siezures, which usually occur with the presence of illness or fever, by the age of three or four years of age. Some children may grow out of them sooner than later and some children later than others.

Although most childen will outgrow myclonic seizures, many other children will not. These children are often diagnosed with Myclonic Epilepsy. With Myclonic Epilepsy, seizureswill often occur on a daily basis, some may only experience them from time to time. Most cases of Myclonic Epilepsy either stay inactive and eventually go away or stay with the child all throughout adulthood with mild activity.

When a child diagnosed with Myclonic Epilepsy begins to show signs of increased seizure activity, growth in physical or mental delay, balance limitations, and low response to medication, this child is usually in advanced stages and are diagnosed with AME. WIth AME, seizures are stronger, more often and require more attention. The doctor may put them on medication and as the child grows, the seizures grow, resulting in an increase in therapy, doctor visits, and medication.

AME side effects differ from child to child. Some children have incurred delays in learning, speach, and physical growth. Some chidren suffer from very bad balance. Some children may experience insomnia, stress, depression, confusion, memory loss, vision and hearing problems, and migraines. Many cildren develop anger and agitation. AME is not a fatal condition; howevver a handful of cases have been reported where their child had fallen, or gotten confused and approach dangerous situations in which they normally would not, resulting in death.

There are many medications a physician may prescribe to a child with AME. Some medications may be too strong for your child while others may be ineffective to your child. Your physician will monitor your child and change his/her dosage a he seems fit until the right prescription fits the child the best.

Other than medication, there are other things you an do for your child. You could make sure they are confortable to avoid stress. Remove any video games from the room that does not have an LCD screen. Many children experience a high increase of seizures with the presence of video games. Make sure your child does not sit too close to a television. Always ensre that your child avoid late night snacks and drinks as this will increase the chances of insomnia. Do not ever shake or slap your child to wake up from a seizure. The best thing to do is jut hold their hand, gently rub their head and stay calm so that they will have the feeling of security. DONT PANIC. If you are having a panic attack, your child will feel the stress. You need to stay calm and find a way to relax through it. Some parents find it easier to count while others find it easier to sing. It really depends on who you are and what calms you down.

It is always a good idea to ensure that your childs environment is a safe one. Some children must wear helmets and no child wants to wear them all the time. So to ensure their safety, it is imperitive to keep a constant eye on them and get familiar with their expressions so that you may be able to see how they are feeling. Never take for granted that your child is "better"now. Always assume that at anytime, they can have a seizure and someone needs to be near at all times without smothering the child.

I am the proud parent of four wonderful boys. I have a two year old son who was diagnosed with AME at the age of 18 months old. We work with him everyday and support him in everyway to let him know that it is ok and that he is safe and very well loved. There are many resources available for parents dealing with children diagnosed with AME. There are also many couseling groups, programs and AME awareness courses. I hope that this article is helpful to many out there dealing with AME or have a loved one who is dealing with AME.

Please check out your local Epilepsy Foundation and help make a difference in a childs life.