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Suggest Treatment For Seizures While On Valparin Syrup In Child
Question: My son is 8 years old with abnormal growth. He couldn't reach his milestone with respect to his age. 15 days back he had seizures. Now he is on medication with valparin syrup. Doctor compared the ct scan of recent and of infant and didn't find any difference. Third and lateral ventricle slightly dilated. No shunt is required now. Plz advice How to proceed further ? Regards. YYYY@YYYY
Brief Answer:
He needs appropriate developmental support.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
The first thing I would need to ask is whether your child cried after birth and whether things went fine thereafter. It is possible that the child suffered from lack of oxygen soon after birth. This should have lead to damage of brain tissue which cannot survive without oxygen for even a short duration. Sometimes there is some amount of bleeding in the affected region. Although the blood may subsequently get resorbed, sometimes some debris cause blockage of the cerebrospinal fluid which cushions the brain. Such a blockage can lead to dialatation of the third ventricle. Unless the blockage is too severe, shunt is not always necessary. But the damaged portions of the brain might fire erratically leading to the seizures, for which valparin is being given. The damaged brain also lacks in function and so there is developmental delay.
Early intervention therapy was needed for a good outcome in such a case. In any case, you should still seek the guidance from a centre of child development. Awareness of such issues might be lacking in different parts of the country and so you might face some problems. In such a case approaching some physical therapist might be helpful.
The following document would be helpful for you:
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/spec_needs/pdf/ei_therapy_guidelines.pdf
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
He needs appropriate developmental support.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
The first thing I would need to ask is whether your child cried after birth and whether things went fine thereafter. It is possible that the child suffered from lack of oxygen soon after birth. This should have lead to damage of brain tissue which cannot survive without oxygen for even a short duration. Sometimes there is some amount of bleeding in the affected region. Although the blood may subsequently get resorbed, sometimes some debris cause blockage of the cerebrospinal fluid which cushions the brain. Such a blockage can lead to dialatation of the third ventricle. Unless the blockage is too severe, shunt is not always necessary. But the damaged portions of the brain might fire erratically leading to the seizures, for which valparin is being given. The damaged brain also lacks in function and so there is developmental delay.
Early intervention therapy was needed for a good outcome in such a case. In any case, you should still seek the guidance from a centre of child development. Awareness of such issues might be lacking in different parts of the country and so you might face some problems. In such a case approaching some physical therapist might be helpful.
The following document would be helpful for you:
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/spec_needs/pdf/ei_therapy_guidelines.pdf
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Sir. Thanks for your response. Actually my son is a pre matured child (7 month) . After 2 days of birth he experienced his 1st seizure. Than he was kept in incubator for 1 month got treated for hydrocephalus. My wife unable to remember whether cried or not. At 3 years he was able to sit and at 5 years he was able to walk with the help of physiotherapy. Now we are experiencing his vision and speech problem. He is cared by XXXXXXX XXXXXXX (school for special child) where he is given speech therapy. He is advices with spectacle of -8 & -7 for his eyes from LV XXXXXXX eye hospital which is being used now. Please advice further
.
.
Brief Answer:
All you can do is to continue the special care and physical therapy
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
The details that you have mentioned are exactly as I had expected. Irrespective of whether the child cried at birth, the lining of a premature baby's brain is fragile and the blood vessels there can rupture giving rise to bleeding and the remnant debris after resorption of the blood is supposed to be the cause of hydrocephalus as described. I have already explained the linkage with seizures and developmental delay. It so happens that the eyes and ears of a preterm are incompletely developed at birth and unless early intervention is done, the damage is permanent. Not much can be done now.
You are otherwise proceeding in the right direction. No other forms of scientifically proven treatment is available yet.
Sorry for the dismal situation.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
All you can do is to continue the special care and physical therapy
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
The details that you have mentioned are exactly as I had expected. Irrespective of whether the child cried at birth, the lining of a premature baby's brain is fragile and the blood vessels there can rupture giving rise to bleeding and the remnant debris after resorption of the blood is supposed to be the cause of hydrocephalus as described. I have already explained the linkage with seizures and developmental delay. It so happens that the eyes and ears of a preterm are incompletely developed at birth and unless early intervention is done, the damage is permanent. Not much can be done now.
You are otherwise proceeding in the right direction. No other forms of scientifically proven treatment is available yet.
Sorry for the dismal situation.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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