Question
If a newborn exhibits symptoms such as eyes that seem unable to fully open and persistent vomiting during deep sleep, could they have pediatric sleep epilepsy? What unusual signs should parents be aware of?
Answer
Childhood is a common period for the onset of epilepsy (also known as “grand mal”). The symptoms of pediatric deep sleep epilepsy differ from those of typical epilepsy, and during recurrences, they may be accompanied by lack of energy or abnormal behavior. Common symptoms of sleep-related epilepsy include suddenly opening eyes or waking up during deep sleep, with a panic response, possibly accompanied by incomplete muscle tone or other motor impairments. In rare cases, sleep-related aggressive behaviors may also occur.