What if a baby suffers seizures following birth? Seizure activity can occur immediately following birth or they can manifest a few hours afterwards. Regardless, seizures are serious and should be treated accordingly. For many of the families who contact us following their baby’s seizures, the seizures are noticed a few hours later either in the NICU or in a mother baby room.
If you suspect that your baby is suffering from seizures you should immediately alert medical professionals regarding this and explain in as much detail as possible what you observed. This should be done so that the most detailed information can be relayed to the specialized team of medical professionals who will begin observation and treatment.
What Are Seizures?
When the brain experiences an uncontrolled electrical disturbance which leads to shaking, jerking, and a temporary loss of consciousness, a seizure has occurred. Although seizures in babies can be subtle, it is important that you understand the various types of seizures that a baby can suffer from. Some of the different types of seizures a baby may experience is as follows:
- Subtle Seizures
- Tonic Seizures
- Clonic Seizures
- Myoclonic Seizures
Depending on the circumstances, the cause of a baby’s seizures can be unknown. When this is not the case, seizures can be linked back to certain events, or experiences.
What If A Baby Suffers Seizures Following Birth?
If a baby has suffered a seizure or seizures following birth there will be certain areas of concern. This is not to say that a baby will suffer everything that I am about to discuss below, just that these are some of the areas of concern.
First, there may be a concern for the medical condition epilepsy. Epilepsy is a type of seizure disorder and can be classified as abnormal brain activity. This condition can be pretty common because it can occur due to genetic and developmental issues as well as due to brain trauma.
Secondly, cerebral palsy, or CP can be a concern because of an injury to the brain. Because CP is a type of movement disorder, if certain areas of the brain are injured then there can be concern for a possible subsequent CP diagnosis.
Third, cognitive delays and difficulties can be an area of concern when seizures are present because these too can manifest when there is an injury to the brain. Cognitive challenges can vary depending on the severity of the injury.
Finally, an HIE, or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy condition is a concern when seizure activity is present. HIE injuries can occur when there is a reduction in oxygenated blood getting to the baby which can lead to a brain injury. If there was birth trauma present during labor and delivery a baby can suffer an HIE injury, thus increasing the chance of seizure activity being present following birth.
To speak with us further about any questions you may have regarding the cause of your baby’s HIE diagnosis I will direct you to my contact information below. It costs nothing initially to speak with us about your baby’s HIE diagnosis and we can work to help get you answers as to the cause of the injury.
Marcus B. Boston, Esq.
9701 Apollo Dr. Suite 100
Largo, Maryland 20774
1-833-4 BABY HELP
