Infantile Spasms

Usually, infantile spasms occur in infants who have a serious brain disorder or developmental problem, which may have already been diagnosed. These disorders include

Tuberous sclerosis complex Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Tuberous sclerosis complex is a hereditary disorder that causes abnormal growths in the brain, changes in the skin, and sometimes tumors in vital organs, such as the heart, kidneys, and lungs... read more , a rare hereditary disorder, commonly causes infantile spasms. People with this disorder have long, narrow growths in the brain, which resemble roots or tubers.

Sometimes no cause of infantile spasms can be identified.

Spasms usually consist of a sudden jerk (spasm) of the trunk and limbs that looks very much like the infant has startled. Sometimes the spasms involve only slight nodding of the head.

Spasms may last several seconds, and children usually have many spasms in clusters, one right after the other.

Spasms typically occur soon after children wake up and occasionally occur when falling asleep.

In most affected children, intellectual development, including development of language skills, is slow, and intellectual disability Intellectual Disability Intellectual disability is significantly below average intellectual functioning present from birth or early infancy, causing limitations in the ability to conduct normal activities of daily... read more is present.

When infantile spasms start, children who are developing normally may at least temporarily stop smiling or lose developmental skills that they have learned, such as being able to sit up or roll over.

Doctors diagnose infantile spasms based on symptoms and results of electroencephalography (EEG) Electroencephalography Diagnostic procedures may be needed to confirm a diagnosis suggested by the medical history and neurologic examination. Imaging tests commonly used to diagnose nervous system (neurologic) disorders... read more , which is done to check for specific patterns of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. EEG is done while children are sleeping and while they are awake.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a strong magnetic field and very high frequency radio waves are used to produce highly detailed images. MRI does not use x-rays and is usually very safe... read more of the brain is done to look for signs of brain damage or malformations.

Other tests are done to look for the cause:

If the cause of infantile spasms is still unclear, genetic tests may be done.

Because early control of infantile spasms is associated with a better developmental outcome, early identification and treatment of spasms are essential.

Children are prescribed one of the following three medications.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) can be injected into a muscle once a day. ACTH therapy is typically continued for 2 weeks and then tapered off over several weeks.

A corticosteroid (such as prednisone), given by mouth, may also be effective as an alternative to ACTH.

Vigabatrin is an antiseizure medication given by mouth. It is the medication of choice when tuberous sclerosis complex is the cause of the spasms. There is not enough evidence to support that any other antiseizure medication or a ketogenic diet is effective.

Sometimes epilepsy surgery Surgery In seizure disorders, the brain's electrical activity is periodically disturbed, resulting in some degree of temporary brain dysfunction. Many people have unusual sensations just before a seizure... read more is done to eliminate the cause of the spasms. An area of the brain may be surgically removed if seizures are caused by only that one area and that area can be removed without significantly affecting the child's ability to function.