Will he every get better...be on his age level? - Epilepsy Message Board

Coy121 · 05-12-2002, 09:20 PM

My six year old step brother has epilepsy. He was diagnosed about 2 years ago and he's slower than his classmates mentally. He's hard to understand when he speaks, he doesn't enunciate his words and when he's upset all his words slur together. He's in special education and I was just wondering if he'll ever be able to move back up to his age level and be able to speak more fluently and understandably. He's on medication and hasn't had a seizure for quite a very long time, his mom has lowered his meds without the consent of a doctor and it doesn't appear to have had any type of negative effect. I think she's in denial about her sons condition which is completely understandable but I just get heartbroken

when she talks about someday getting him off his meds and having him be her little boy again. Will he ever be able to recover from the damage caused by the seizures to his brain. Will he ever be like other six year olds who don't have epilepsy?

Kokopelli · 05-12-2002, 09:33 PM

Hi coy121,

She really shouldn't be taking him off his meds without a doctors discression firstly because he could go into epileptic status which is a series of seizures one after another which could eventually cause death. Sure he may not have had seizures for a long time but thats becasue the meds are controlling this. If she is in denial it's understandable to a point but not to where she should take him off the meds.. sure every mom wants a perfect child but sometimes we are handed challenges as parents or as the epileptics that we MUST accept. Please tell her to consult a doctor.

Hugs
Koko

[This message has been edited by Kokopelli (edited 05-12-2002).]

Gary L · 05-14-2002, 04:21 PM

Hi,
One thing anyone should not do is mess with is going off medicine unless told by a doctor.
She could be leaving her son wide open for many seizures. And who knows where he will be.
All she is doing is hurting him. He could become even worse in his thinking.
But doing what should be done, with a lot of theropy and work, he might be able to increase some. At least that how I feel.
Your step brother is in my prayers
Gary L

Coy121 · 05-14-2002, 06:10 PM

Thank you for your words. The doctor did say it was okay to lower one type of medication, but not the others he was on. I just don't know how to approach her about putting him back on all of his medications.

Kokopelli · 05-15-2002, 06:22 PM

Hey coy,

What you might want to do is just flat out tell her how serious she could be putting him into never coming out of his seizures. I wouldn't try putting him back on either medications are dangerous hon and need to be monitored by a doctor going on them and coming off.. if she has already taken him off I would highly recommend calling the doctor asap and letting him know the situation...

Hugs
Koko