Question
Recently, my child has shown some minor tremor symptoms, and I’m worried that he might have epilepsy. Are there any methods to differentiate between tremor and epilepsy?
Answer
Tremor and epilepsy are two completely different diseases. Epilepsy, commonly known as “grand mal,” is a chronic condition caused by abnormal electrical discharge in the brain’s neurons, leading to a temporary impairment of brain function. Due to the shaking of facial muscles during minor seizures, there may be confusion between tremor and epilepsy. The difference between the two lies in the fact that epilepsy is caused by suppression of the cerebral cortex, leading to a temporary loss of consciousness. After regaining consciousness, patients are unable to accurately describe the situation during the seizure, and it often occurs at night. Tremor, on the other hand, is related to motor nerves and does not cause loss of consciousness or falling to the ground, nor does it occur at night.Brain Electroencephalogram (EEG) examination usually shows normal results in children with tremor, while children with epilepsy will exhibit EEG abnormalities. This is the key to distinguishing between the two in diagnosis.