For the Media EpilepsyUSA is our full-color magazine. For The Media Departments News and Views Capitol Comments eNewsletter Check out Between Us , our full-color publication for women, appearing quarterly in our EpilepsyUSA magazine. But when these seemingly common behaviors occur often or in patterns, they actually may signal that a child is having seizures. The Epilepsy Foundation considers the hidden signs of childhood epilepsy to be a significant problem nationwide.
Seizures are the most common neurological disorder of childhood.
But not all seizures are convulsions, and symptoms can be difficult to recognize. Recognition of these signs is important in the early diagnosis and treatment to avoid learning disabilities, social problems and safety risks associated with epilepsy in young children. Early diagnosis offers the child with epilepsy a better chance of treatment success and a future free of seizures. The symptoms they display are often misinterpreted, which can lead to weeks and even months before a diagnosis is made. Although these signs don't necessarily mean a child has epilepsy, they should be brought to the attention of the doctor.