Will seizures slow my daughter's growth and development?

Question

Hello doctor,

My 12-year daughter has been suffering from seizures since birth. The cause of the seizure was not known. That is idiopathic. She is now taking Valparin 500 Chrono and Levipil 750 twice daily. The last seizure occurred four years ago. Developments are slow, although she attained puberty last year at the age of 11 years. Academic achievements are fairly poor seemed to be dysgraphic. Can I expect any improvement in the future?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern and would explain that as your daughter has been suffering from seizures since birth, it is very likely that her brain has been damaged during birth (from hypoxia) or she has any specific genetic syndrome associated with seizures. Both these conditions indicate that her brain is unlike other girls her age. On the other hand, repeated seizures lead to important neuronal (brain cell) damage to her brain. For this reason, we cannot expect her to have the same development as others. But, as she is still young, there is hope for future improvement. So you should try to be more patient. The most important thing is that her current therapy seems to control her seizures. Regarding her current therapy, you should know that Valparin can lead to ovarian cysts and menstrual cycle irregularities. For this reason, I would recommend performing an abdominal ultrasound periodically to check her ovaries.