Question
After a child’s birth, they often experience seizures. Could a newborn’s seizures be a sign of epilepsy?
Answer
Newborn seizures are actually a special type of epilepsy known as infantile spasms. This condition is more common in infants between 3 to 7 months old. Seizure episodes can manifest as flexor, extensor, or mixed spasms. Flexor spasms are the most common, characterized by the flexion of the neck, trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs. The child may suddenly nod their head, with the upper limbs drawn inward in a ball-like motion, followed by extension. The intensity of muscle contractions can vary among different patients or even in different episodes for the same patient. Mild cases may only show head tremors or shrugging shoulders, while severe cases can cause abdominal muscle contractions leading to a knife-like curvature of the trunk.