BLOG

HIE and Epilepsy: Common Types of Seizures

November 18th, 2024  | Epilepsy  | News

READ MORE

In Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), seizures are common due to the brain injury caused by lack of oxygen and blood flow. Here are the most common types seen with HIE and their definitions:

Common Types of Seizures with HIE

Tonic Seizures: Characterized by a sustained muscle contraction or stiffening, tonic seizures usually cause the limbs or neck to extend or flex for a few seconds. They may look like a stiff, extended posture and can be focal or generalized.

Clonic Seizures: These involve rhythmic jerking movements, usually on one side of the body (focal clonic) or less commonly, on both sides (generalized clonic). They have a repetitive movement pattern and are often associated with an underlying brain injury.

Myoclonic Seizures: These are brief, shock-like jerks of a muscle or a group of muscles. Myoclonic seizures can involve single jerks or clusters of jerks and may be generalized (involving multiple muscle groups) or focal (specific to one area of the body).

Focal Seizures: These originate in one specific area of the brain and can cause localized symptoms, such as jerking or twitching in one part of the body, sensory disturbances, or changes in behavior or awareness. Focal seizures can sometimes progress to involve the entire brain, becoming secondary generalized seizures.

Generalized Seizures: These seizures affect both sides of the brain from the outset and can lead to loss of consciousness or awareness. Generalized seizures include several types, such as:

• Atonic Seizures: Sudden loss of muscle tone, causing the individual to go limp or collapse.
• Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures: A combination of tonic (stiffening) and clonic (jerking) movements involving both sides of the body.
• Absence Seizures: Brief episodes of staring or lapses in awareness, typically lasting a few seconds, often with minor body movements like eye fluttering or slight head nodding.

Sleep/Wake Cycle Seizures: For children who develop epilepsy later in childhood, the most common onset of epilepsy happens at the sleep/wake cycle, either shortly after falling asleep, or as sleep shifts to the wake period. This can happen either at night, or during naps. The true prevalence of this epilepsy is currently being studied, and will be a key part of the recently announced HIE registry. HIE families are often caught offguard when this happens, but should know they are NOT alone!