Symptoms of Dravet Syndrome

Overview

One of the main symptoms of Dravet Syndrome involves a severe form of epilepsy, characterized by seizures. There are various types of seizures caused by Dravet syndrome. While there is no cure for Dravet syndrome, early recognition can help reduce some of the problems caused by the disorder, as well as limit the impact of other health concerns the child might have. In some cases, although rare, children stabilize and improve after age 6.

Seizures

Seizures are classified into three major types depending on the part of the brain they affect: focal onset or partial seizures, generalized seizures, and unknown onset seizures. Focal onset seizures start on one side of the brain while generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain simultaneously. In unknown onset seizures, the location in the brain where the seizure starts is not known.

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Status Epilepticus

Status epilepticus is a term that describes epileptic episodes in which either an individual seizure lasts longer than five minutes, or many seizures occur close together without the patient recovering between them. Status epilepticus is common in Dravet syndrome.

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Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy

Patients with epilepsy may sometimes die during or after a seizure for no apparent reason. This phenomenon is known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The risk of SUDEP in Dravet syndrome patients is higher than those with other types of childhood-onset epilepsy.

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