Question
What methods can be used to treat pediatric epilepsy?
Answer
Epilepsy, commonly known as “sheep-like convulsions,” is a sudden, transient disorder of brain function. It has a high incidence and can occur at any age, with adolescents being particularly affected. When epileptic seizures occur, the patient often screams and falls unconscious, with convulsions in the limbs, upward gaze in the eyes, drooling of saliva, incontinence of urine, and disappearance after seconds or minutes. Some patients may experience transient cognitive impairment but do not fall unconscious; this is known as a minor seizure. Guidance: The etiology of epilepsy can be classified into three types: primary (or idiopathic), secondary (or symptomatic), and cryptogenic. Primary epilepsy, also known as idiopathic epilepsy, refers to a group of specific epilepsy syndromes without an identifiable structural brain abnormality and with a genetic predisposition. It is a group of specific epilepsy syndromes that are closely related to age in children and may be associated with genetic factors and have a good prognosis. For example, if the mother of a fetus suddenly experiences fear during pregnancy, leading to disorder in the regulation of ascending and descending qi and damage to liver and kidney essence and blood, it may result in developmental abnormalities in the fetus and the onset of the condition at birth. Secondary or symptomatic epilepsy refers to epilepsy with a clear cause and structural brain abnormality. Many diseases can cause this type of epilepsy, mainly divided into two categories: diseases within the brain, such as various neurological diseases including cerebrovascular diseases, traumatic brain injuries, encephalitis, meningitis, hydrocephalus, abscesses, inflammatory pseudotumor, intracranial tumors, parasites, traumatic brain injuries, demyelinating diseases, developmental anomalies, brain atrophy after cranial surgery, regional scars in the brain, and neurodegenerative diseases; and diseases outside the brain such as hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, asphyxia, shock, neonatal seizures, uremia, diabetes mellitus, cardiac seizures as well as intoxications from metals or drugs. Many central nervous system or systemic diseases can induce epilepsy.