Has anyone here heard of "Laughing Seizures?" They're also known as Gelastic Seizures. I guess most often they're found in people with brain lesions. However they're also associated apart from that with people who have Autism Spectrum Disorder and may or may not already have a diagnosed Seizure Disorder.
I ask because my 9 year old daughter has ASD (Classic Autism on the Autism Spectrum Disorder), Absence Seizures, and other associated issues in regard to the ASD. She has always had these little giggling fits, laughing at seemingly nothing and often when we ask her what she was giggling at or "what was so funny Gracie?" she would respond that she wasn't laughing or "nothing is funny." If I pointed out she had been giggling, she claims she wasn't. That's a key sign of a gelastic seizure.
So. She's already being treated on anti-seizure medication and for ADD. She's on the Feingold Diet. I'm more interested in anyone who has experience with Gelastic aka Laughing Seizures. Since she's in treatment already, our neurologist and pediatrician don't seem concerned in the least. I don't know if I should press it with the neurologist and insist on an EEG, except that it would 3 days or so. We're talking about an autistic child that also has Sensory Integration Disorder.
She's not on a yeast-friendly diet to begin with. EDIT 5/29
I think my husband has researched GAP because his brother had a severe seizure disorder his entire life that was progressively worse until he passed away in 2000. I'll have to check on that some more. Also, I have an auto-immune disorder of my own (Fibromyalgia) so it might be worth looking into for the both of us??? EDIT 5/30
After reading the other answer I would suggest you google the yeast or candida diet. Perhaps you will find a particular food that is on there that he may be eating an abundance of. Maybe cutting down that food a bit would help. Just a thought.
My son who is autistic(classic autism), has SID, and an undiagnosed possible seizure disorder goes through serious laughing fits as we call them. They're contagious(in a positive way)and from all we've been told it could due to an over abundance of yeast build up in the body. We do nothing to stop them only because in our case our docs have not seen any negative outcome due to them. If the doctors aren't concerned it quite possibly could be nothing to be stressing over, but I also do not know your daughter or situation so please take what I'm saying only meant out of kindness and not as a judgement of what you should be doing.
Have you heard of the GAPS diet? I have been on it for 9 months for autoimmune issues, but it is most known for its success with autism. The Feingold diet is an awesome first step, but GAPS goes a step further by addressing what is essentially a permeable gut/processing issue.
I'm sorry I don't know anything specifically about the seizures in question. I will say that I have a friend who had seizures in her 20's. She has been medication free for many years by adopting a high fat diet. Since the brain is 50% fat, seizures can be a sign of the body starving for it. The GAPS diet should address that as well. I wish you the best in finding answers that work for her!
epilepsy.com has a great forum, I am sure there are lots of parents on there who have experience with gelastics. My son has Rolandic epilepsy and ADD, and I know a lot of these brain related disorders go hand in hand
My son had laughing seizures (22 in one day actually) over the course of a couple of months. Turns out he has epilepsy. Not sure what medication she's on but nevertheless, I would get a referral to another neurologist. When our pediatrician saw one of the seizures first hand, he sent our son for an EEG which came back perfectly normal. We then went to our first appointment with the neurologist and as luck would have it, our son had a seizure right in front of him, and he ordered a video EEG and MRI. If it's epilepsy a video EEG and MRI are what's necessary to diagnose it. If you can, get some of the episodes recorded on either a camcorder or cell phone.
Prayers to you and your family! Hugs**
