Any relationship between breathing and seizures in kids?

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:08 pm

Been doing some reading and found that apnea can precipitate a seizure in patients with epilepsy. But I'm wondering if oxygen reduction due to apnea can actually cause a seizure in a non epileptic?

I have a 12 year old granddaughter who I have been concerned about her nighttime breathing. Her tonsils are very large. Although very active in athletics, when not participating in a sport, she has little energy. What made me start to wonder is that her short term memory problems are increasingly pronounced - not normal for a 12 year old. Some days she can't even remember what she had for breakfast.

This early morning she was found nonresponsive by her father who got up to investigate loud noises that awakened him. After an ambulance ride and some time at the hospital, it was determined she'd had a seizure. Of course they will be running the gamut of tests. Maybe they'll find her memory lapses were due to mini seizures. But I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any possible correlation with seizures and apnea or hypopneas?

Kathy

SleepyDitz · Post by **SleepyDitz** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:51 pm

Hi Kathy,

I am not sure if this well help... since I am not a kid, but a 32 year old woman. I started having seizures... and the testing started. MRI's, catscans, EKG's, EEG's... I have had them all.... and they found nothing wrong, but since I was having seizures and blacking out... they went ahead and put me on seizure meds. That did not help and I felt awful all the time. It was not till a couple of years later, when I went on a vacation with family... that someone noticed that I stopped breathing in my sleep! So I got the doctor to send me to a sleep clinic! I was shocked to learn that I had severe sleep apnea, and the doctor explained that I was so tired that I was having narcoleptic seizures (I know that I misspelled that!)
So yes I guess there is a relation to sleep apnea and seizures. If all her tests come back normal... I would suggest getting a sleep study. And many clinics now let you bring a family member along, so she won't be scared!
I hope this helps, and I hope for the best for your granddaughter!

Genia

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:38 pm

here is one doctor's thoughts on Hyperoxic Seizures, sometimes associated with diving.

http://www.gap-software.com/staticfiles ... izures.pdf

When it comes to kids, you cannot guess, but I would make sure they check out her heart.