The seizures experienced by infants are very different from those affecting older children. Seizures occur during the first four weeks in full-term infants, also referred to as the neonatal period. Seizures in infants occur because of many factors though there are detectable causes in most children. Seizures have negative long-term impacts on children, such as developmental and cognitive impairments. This literature review aims to highlight the causes of seizures in children. Therefore, this section demonstrates the causes of Seizures, as illustrated in peer-reviewed articles.
In the past, different communities have varied beliefs on what causes seizures, especially epileptic seizures. For instance, in Central Africa and South America, people believed that spiritual or supernatural issues are the leading causes of epileptic seizures. However, according to Feng et al. (2017), seizure disorder is caused by the introduction of abnormal electrical discharges in the brain cells. It mostly occurs in the cerebral cortex of the brain. The author also demonstrates that the primary cause of epilepsy in children is seizures. The author also focused on the various risk factors that cause seizures in young children. Besides, the leading causes of seizures in children that the author provides are the practices and behavior of the mother during the prenatal stage. For instance, according to the authors, the critical risk factors of seizures in children include alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking during the pregnancy period. These practices are likely to cause brain disorders during the brain development period of the infancy. As such, abnormal electric discharges are likely to find a way into the infant's brain. These practices can also cause premature birth, which reflects premature brain development. The author, therefore, believes that the behavior and practices of a pregnant mother define the general brain health of their children and thus, defining why a child has seizures or not. The following article is credible, as other articles in PubMed Central journal have cited it. The information in the report is also credible and reliable as there are numerous citations and references.
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Minardi et al. (2019) carried out a federally funded study to ascertain the impact of a malfunctioning gene that leads to involuntary movement and seizures in infants as early as a few days old. According to the researchers, they found out that GNAO1 (G-Protein Subunit Alpha O1) leads to EIEE17, a particular type of epilepsy, which leads to involuntary movements such as NEDIM. The researchers found out that children who suffer from GNAO1 mutations account go a day without convulsions, seizures, and involuntary body movements. The GNAO1 gene is responsible for carrying signals inside the nerve cells from the outside, and thus some of the signals are very strong, thus leading to on controllable body movements. The researchers used compared the impact of introducing drugs that block the signals to a sample of epileptic children and drugs that make weak signals to another group of epileptic children. From the results, it was clear that drugs that block signals increase the risks of having a movement disorder, while those that have weaker signals can help epileptic children. As such, being that GNAO1 generates proteins with stronger signals, thereby restraining the functioning of the brain from stimulating the movement of infants' limbs. The researchers have manipulated a particular drug that targets GNAO1 mutation to develop better treatment of seizure effects on children. Interestingly, from the experiments, they realized that the strength of GNAO1 variations causes brain disorders that result in seizures among infants.
Anderson et al. (2013) carried out a study to determine the impact of thyroid dysfunctions in a mother and seizures in infants. The researchers hypothesized that there is an increased risk of seizures in children in mothers who suffer from thyroid dysfunction. The researchers used a population-based cohort study. The study was carried out between January 1, 1978, and November 30, 2006. The researchers found out that maternal thyroid hormones are vital for a fetus's brain development. Thyroid dysfunctions affect cerebral cortex development, and this brings about seizures in infants. The seizures, therefore, develop due to the malfunctioning of the brain. The article is credible and reliable as the authors work in the department of endocrinology and epidemiology, an indication they are qualified to carry out the study.
Michoulas &Farrell (2011) carried out a study to ascertain the cause of afebrile seizures in children. The researchers found out that that there are three types of idiopathic epilepsies juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, benign rolandic epilepsy, and absence epilepsy. However, children who suffer from idiopathic epileptic seizures can have healthy neurological development. However, the researchers found out that infants who suffer from idiopathic epilepsy seizures have an epileptic form discharge on electroencephalography. Similarly, the researchers found out that more than half of infants with epilepsy have some form of brain abnormality. As such, the researchers confirmed that some abnormal discharges mainly cause seizure disorders in children in the brain. The information in the article is credible as the researchers are graduates in Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. It is an indication the authors are qualified in this field.
Stafstrom & Carmant (2015) carried out a literature review on epilepsy and seizures causes carried out by various neuroscientists. The researchers found out that once there is a misbalance between the excitation (E) and inhibition (I) in the brain, seizures are bound to occur. The E/I imbalances are caused by various brain function alterations ranging from neuronal circuits, genes, and cascades in the subcellular signaling. For instance, the author explains that a hyperexcitable state decreases inhibitory neurotransmission altering brain functioning. Alteration of brain functioning then causes an abnormality in the slow response of limbs in infants. The article is credible and reliable, as the authors have provided numerous citations and references. The information provided is also not based on the author's points of view but instead researched information by people who are experts in the field.
Macleod & Appleton (2007) carried out a literature review on the cause of various neurological disorders in adolescents. The authors found out that neurodegenerative disorders are the major causes of seizures in adolescents and thus mostly begins during their infant years. Infants diagnosed with diplegic cerebral palsy have a higher probability of suffering from seizures in their adolescent life. Disorders of the brain's grey matter cab also lead to the development of seizures. The information from the sources credible as the article is peer-reviewed and published in a reputable journal site.
Based on the literature review, it is clear that the seizure among infants is caused by the abnormal displacement of charges in the brain, thereby causing malfunctioning of the brain. In most cases, this disorder starts from the prenatal stage, thus affecting the development of the unborn child's brain. The behaviors and practices of the mother, like smoking during the prenatal phase or thyroid disorder among pregnant mothers, can result in such disorder. However, other factors cause seizure among infants that starts when the child has been, for instance, imbalance of excitement and inhibition.
References
Andersen, S. L., Laurberg, P., Wu, C. S., & Olsen, J. (2013). Maternal thyroid dysfunction and risk of seizure in the child: a Danish nationwide cohort study. Journal of pregnancy , 2013 .
Feng, H., Sjögren, B., Karaj, B., Shaw, V., Gezer, A., & Neubig, R. R. (2017). Movement disorder in GNAO1 encephalopathy associated with gain-of-function mutations. Neurology , 89 (8), 762-770.
Macleod, S., & Appleton, R. E. (2007). Neurological disorders presenting mainly in adolescence. Archives of disease in childhood , 92 (2), 170-175.
Michoulas, A., Farrell, K., & Connolly, M. (2011). Approach to a child with a first afebrile seizure. BCMJ , 53 , 274-7.
Minardi, C., Minacapelli, R., Valastro, P., Vasile, F., Pitino, S., Pavone, P., & Murabito, P. (2019). Epilepsy in children: from diagnosis to treatment with a focus on emergency. Journal of clinical medicine , 8 (1), 39.
Stafstrom, C. E., & Carmant, L. (2015). Seizures and epilepsy: an overview of neuroscientists. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine , 5 (6), a022426.
