Today I took Sophia in for her 18-month baby wellness check up. She measured in at 32½ inches tall and 28 pounds, so she’s at the 75th percentile for height and the 20th percentile for weight. She’s doing really well with exception to the one area of concern I brought up with the doctor. Sophia has had some very odd episodes that first started when she was about ten or eleven months old. Kurt and I first chocked up to silent fits of baby rage, tantrums, or a general surge of adrenalin. They may actually be mild seizures.
During an episode all of her muscles tense up as if she’s abnormally angry. Sometimes her face will turn red too. Seeing these fits, we really thought we were dealing with a kid that will have severe anger issues in the future, but I’ve noticed it happens even when there is absolutely nothing causing her to be angry or frustrated. I know what you’re thinking, but this is completely different from when she rolls her shoulders forward and leans against me as if I’m a pooping post. I note the difference mainly in the distinct lack of poop.
She doesn’t loose her balance or loose conscientiousness. These are not fall-to-the-ground and flail-like-an-out-of-water-fish seizures. If she’s standing when it starts, she remains standing for the two to three second duration and then goes about her toddler business afterwords as if nothing odd happened. Her mouth is usually open with her jaw tightly locked in place. Her eyes are also open the but there isn’t a blank stare, really these episodes are too quick to determine if she’s staring blankly or not. They last only seconds and then she’s fine and off playing again. She averages about two or three episodes a week.
The doctor did the very basic normal neurological testing that’s done at each baby wellness checkup, which consists of making sure the eyes dilate properly and other reflexes work. She passed that with flying colors. He said that it’s possible whatever is going on with her is right on the border of ‘normal’ and it could go away on it’s own as she matures. He asked me to track length of time they last, intensity, and frequency to make sure it doesn’t get worse.
They don’t generally do MRIs on toddlers but if it does get worse in anyway then we’ll be making a trip to Chilrden’s Hospital for more detailed questioning and evaluation.
Special note to relatives of Sophia: The doctor didn’t ask for a family history, but if this persists, I’m sure the question will come up. If you are privy to any family history of seizures that weren’t due to a bad reaction to prescriptions or self-medicating please let me know. Dreams about seizures also don’t count. (Please email the family histories)
Yes, I’m still a sarcastic pain in the ass even when writing about my daughter having seizures.
here’s hoping they don’t get worse and she outgrows them. seizures are a scary thing especially when they happen to our kids :-/
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Oh, that is scary! I hope everything is okay and that she outgrows them quickly. Do keep us updated.
It’s funny that Sophia actually ways MORE than Alex, even though Alex is a few inches taller.
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Keep the sarcasm, it helps with arrogant pompous neurologists.
Seizures are tricky and be benign. I know you’re going to worry but let me in a secret worry never changes anything.
Siper Hugz and know I’m thinking of the both of you.
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I’m sorry you have to go through this! My sister had the same exact seizures as a baby and did indeed grow out of them well before she was school age. At that time (back in the dark ages), they had my mom giving her medication for them-it was preventive, though she still had seizures from time to time. She grew up to be healthy, and as far as I know, without side effects from either the meds or the seziures. There was no history in our family of seizures at all.
FWIW, it’s not uncommon that seizures are NOT what we think of as seizures-the falling down kind. A friend of mine went undiagnosed for several years because she’d been thinking all along she was just “spacing out”. She learned that too many people don’t recognize that sort of seizure AS a seziure.
From what I’ve heard, Children’s Hospital is the best place you could possibly take a sick child, so if you do end up there, I’m sure Sophie will be in the best of hands!
Good luck to you.
Agibean – Thanks for the comment. It makes me feel better to hear other stories that end (continue) well.
I had a friend that had tiny seizures, well outwardly they were tiny. The only thing that would let me know she was having one was that her eyelids would start to flutter, oh and she would stop adding to the conversation. 
The difficult thing is that she didn’t out grow hers and she can’t get a drivers license which makes it very difficult to get a job. The bus system in her area is a total joke.
so sorry your daughter is sick my 2yr old was just digonsed with eplisply seizrues today i hope your lil one will grow out of it