EEG results

We visited with the neurologists at our children's hospital to find out the results on the EEG Buddy had last month.

The EEG didn't show any seizure activity, but according to the neurologist, they usually have to induce a seizure through hypoxia caused by hyperventilation -- something they don't do with children as young as Buddy. So, she wasn't surprised that the EEG was negative. However, based on my descriptions of what I've seen Buddy doing (blanking out, not responding for short periods of time), she said he was definitely experiencing absence seizures and that, even though I was only seeing a few episodes per week, he could be experiencing anywhere from 2-100 seizures each day.

She also said, in answer to my question, that while some seizure activity is associated with the hypercalcemia those with Williams syndrome can have, absence seizures are not necessarily associated with WS. So this is something in addition to WS that we're now dealing with. (As far as we know, Kieran's calcium levels are in the normal range.)

So, for the course of treatment, the doctor prescribed one of three anti-seizure medications: ethosuximide, valproate, or lamotrigine. Getting him on a daily dose of one of these medicines (the recommended is valproate) was a no-brainer for both neurologists we talked to. It helps to control the seizure activity which would otherwise interfere with his overall development (imagine the problems you would have concentrating and learning if your brain were seizing up 200 times each day).

For us, however, the decision will take a bit more time. The side effects, of course, of the medicines are a concern for us. So, we'll be looking into each of them a bit more, asking the Lord for wisdom, and then making a decision based on what we think will be best for Buddy.