How to treat infantile spasms?

Patient's question:

BR>Years for treatment

Doctor's answer:

Hello: Infantile spasms are most common in infants aged 3 to 7 months, and their causes may be related to birth injuries, neonatal asphyxia, viral encephalitis, intrauterine infections, congenital toxoplasmosis, congenital brain developmental malformations, and certain metabolic diseases.
Infantile spasms are actually a special type of epilepsy in infancy. In addition to generalized convulsions, they can also lead to intellectual disabilities in children. So, how can parents detect if their child might have this condition? After the child reaches 3 months of age, if they exhibit nodding and bending spasms, this may be infantile spasms.
Once this condition is diagnosed, treatment should be started immediately. The earlier the treatment begins, the less severe the brain damage in the child may be. Currently, the main medications used to treat infantile spasms are nitrazepam and hormones. If both are used together, the therapeutic effect is better. During the medication process, it is important to maintain regular dosing to ensure the necessary effective blood concentration.
To prevent the recurrence of infantile spasms and their transformation into grand mal seizures or psychomotor seizures, the medication dosage should not be reduced even after the recurrence has completely stopped. Instead, the child should continue taking medication for 2 to 4 years, and then gradually and cautiously reduce the dose under the guidance of a doctor until it is completely stopped.
Additionally, parents should pay special attention to the fact that when the child starts taking medication, they should visit the hospital for follow-up every 2 to 3 weeks. Afterward, follow-up checks should be conducted every 3 to 6 months. At the same time, it is important to closely monitor for any toxic effects of the medication. Regular medical examinations should be scheduled to check liver and kidney function and blood counts, and any abnormalities should be addressed promptly with further measures.