Patient's question:
The child has epilepsy, and after some research, it was found that there are also pseudoseizures. What are pseudoseizures?Doctor's answer:
Pseudoseizures are similar to epilepsy in symptoms, but there is no abnormal discharge in the brain. It is difficult to diagnose in the emergency room. For some patients, an effective method is to distract them by shouting or using light. It can quickly prevent a seizure. If the patient can undergo an electroencephalogram, a diagnosis can be made. Abnormal discharges can be observed. At the same time, 20 minutes after a seizure, serum prolactin can differentiate between true epilepsy and pseudoseizures. In true epilepsy, serum prolactin levels should increase at least twofold, while in pseudoseizures, lactation remains in a normal state. Clearly, no single method is suitable for the emergency room, because pseudoseizures are often caused by underlying "true" epilepsy, which is rarely diagnosed in the emergency room.