Another EEG test

One night last week, my girl gave me another scare. I was woken up by her moans but she didn't respond when I called out to her. I thought I saw her moving/jerking in bed. When I switched on the lights and tried to wake her I saw that her eyes were open but her left eye was twitching. She looked blank and did not respond.


I called the paed neuro the next day and she advised us to bring her in for another EEG test. My heart was so heavy and filled with fear. It still is. I am very sad, scared and worried.


When I told my girl that she would be missing school because she had to go for another EEG her response was "Why do I have to go and see the brain doctor? I don't have a headache." I explained to her that its just a routine check and the doctor will give her a MC for not attending school. She went "Hurray!" and started prancing around. Such innocence. I smiled at her but my heart was very very heavy. I reminded her that they will attach many wires from her head to the computer and she will be asked to blow into a bag (to simulate hyperventilation) and they were going to ask her to look at flashing lights. She asked whether it was going to be the same girl who will ask her to blow into a bag because she liked the girl.


She is only 7. She is a bright and intelligent child, a good girl. My husband and I were worried that if she had to take medication, it would stiffle her individuality.


We had to keep her sleep deprived for the EEG so we let her go to sleep later and woke her up earlier in the morning. During one part of the EEG she had to go to sleep. This time the EEG was more professional than the one we did 2 months ago. During that EEG test there was no one else allowed in the room with her. Fortunately the technician was a lady, otherwise I would have insisted on being there too. This time there were two technicians, a lady and a man and I was allowed to be in the room.


Just when I was wondering how on earth she was going to fall asleep with 2 technicians and her mom staring at her, and just when they had sent hubby to go and buy sedatives and a syringe, she fell asleep. Later on when I asked her how she did it, she said she counted numbers.


The EEG turned out normal. Another EEG done 2 months ago was normal too but the doctor says that normal does not mean that she is not epileptic. She says that she does not want to label her yet but she thinks there is a 60% chance that she is. She says that if there is another episode than she may consider other tests and even if another EEG turns out normal, she may consider medication.


It feels hard to even write this down but writing is a form of therapy for me to get it out of my chest and think things through more subjectively instead of emotionally. However, I must say that writing does not help this time. I still feel disturbed. I do not feel at peace. I am worried about her especially when we go to bed and when she is away from me at school.


I hope that it was just a nightmare that she was experiencing but the doctor does not seem to think so. I guess a normal EEG is the better outcome for now since there is still some hope. However I am worried because in my case after one seizure in my sleep, the doctor said one seizure does not make you an epileptic. After a second seizure in my sleep, the doctor said its ok not to take medication at this point. And then I had 3 seizures in a day while I was awake and had to be hospitalised. I am worried that the same thing will happen to her. So is a normal EEG and non-medication really the better outcome? I don't know. I really don't know.


When it happened to me, I was scared for a while, but I think I can come to terms with it more easily than if it were to happen to any of my kids. That is very very much harder to handle. Afterall, I have done all the things that I wanted to do when I was young without this burden. I am a housewife now so to me its not so crucial but to a young kid who has a whole life to live and look forward to, a kid will face many more pressures, pressures as well as misunderstanding from the people around them.


If there is anyone whose child has to undergo an EEG, please take not that it is a harmless, non invasive test.

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