Infantile Spasms - Hadley's Story (West Syndrome)

Erin and David Laslow tell the story of their daughter Hadley who was diagnosed with infantile spasms, a form of epilepsy, at five months old.

Infantile spasms (IS) is a rare and particularly severe epilepsy syndrome that typically begins within the first year of life. Infantile spasms are also known as West syndrome because Dr. William James West first described them in the 1840s.

Infantile spasms are characterized by subtle infant seizures, which can have significant neurological effects and an atypical EEG pattern; these symptoms can lead to considerable developmental delays and cognitive and physical deterioration. Because these spasms do not look like traditional seizures, primary care physicians and pediatricians can find it challenging to diagnose Infantile spasms.

This often means that effective treatment for affected children is delayed, which can have dire consequences. And for those that are diagnosed accurately, many do not respond to treatment or have adverse side effects.

#seizures #epilepsy #neurology #brainhealth