EEG Telemetry at UCLA

Today Soren is going in for a routine EEG Telemetry test at UCLA Medical Center. The test should be about 24 hours. I believe I've written about them before. It's a prolonged EEG with the combination of a video camera filming Soren. The EEG is to measure his brain's seizure activity. The video is to monitor what happens to Soren visibly on the "outside" when the seizures occur.

So our goal today through tomorrow is for Soren to HAVE seizures! As I noted in a previous post, Soren is apparently having Juvenile (Epileptic) Spasms again. These were previously called Infantile Spasms, but because Soren is now 6, they have a new name. Soren now has a new neurologist who wants to confirm that these are, in fact, the kind of seizures he is having. Spasms have a distinct pattern called Hypsarrythmia.

We believe these seizure returned over a year ago. Despite trying new combinations of meds, we still don't have full control. However, he's only having 3 a day. Only, you say? Well, considering he used to have hundreds of these a day when he was a baby, 3 is a vast improvement.

And the Spasms knock him out less than the Tonic-Clonics he used to have. He tends to have a quick one, be fine for about 10 minutes (resuming his activity from before the seizure) but then he conks out (is post-ictal) after that 10 minutes. This makes it very tricky when the seizure comes right before I feed him. I'll get the meal started, and then he'll pass out.

However, Spasms REALLY do a number on your vision. Soren's vision was actually improving nicely a little over a year ago, but then the Spasms returned and his visual gains were lost.

So, we want to confirm that this is what he's having. If they are, we will try some different meds (unfortunately, these are meds we tried years before that did not work at that time). If they are NOT, we will also try different meds, since they ones he's on aren't really doing the trick.

To prepare for this test, I can't give Soren any solid food today until he's hooked up to the EEG. They'll have to sedate him since he's such a wiggle-worm and you have to get the leads in the right places for the test to be accurate. So I got Soren's meds in with clear liquid (juice) today. Not his favorite. My boy likes his milk.

We won't check in to UCLA until 11:00. We'll probably be in the room by 1:00. Then we need to get him knocked out and hooked up. After he wakes up, I can feed him. I have no idea what Soren's mood will be going without food for this long. The only time he really doesn't eat is when he's ill. Should be interesting.

Then we hang out in our hospital room all day through tomorrow. I'm not supposed to leave the room because I'm officially the camera woman for this shoot. When the seizures hit, I have to make sure they get that visual!

So, it's against my usual way of thinking, but today and tomorrow I'm actually hoping for seizures while he's hooked up and on camera. The sooner he has them, the sooner we get to go home!

Amy