What are Infantile Spasms?
An infantile spasm (IS) is a specific type of seizure seen in an epilepsy syndrome of infancy and childhood known as West Syndrome. West Syndrome is characterized by infantile spasms, developmental regression, and a specific pattern on electroencephalography (EEG) testing called hypsarrhythmia (chaotic brain waves). The onset of infantile spasms is usually in the first year of life, typically between 4-8 months. The seizures primarily consist of a sudden bending forward of the body with stiffening of the arms and legs; some children arch their backs as they extend their arms and legs. Spasms tend to occur upon awakening or after feeding, and often occur in clusters of up to 100 spasms at a time. Infants may have dozens of clusters and several hundred spasms per day. Infantile spasms usually stop by age five, but may be replaced by other seizure types. Many underlying disorders, such as birth injury, metabolic disorders, and genetic disorders can give rise to spasms, making it important
(Information below is from Epilepsy.com) What is it like? Here’s a typical story: “At first I thought Chris was just having the little body jerks when he was moved or startled, like my other children had when they were infants. But then I knew something was wrong. The jerks became more violent, and his tiny body was thrust forward and his arms flew apart. They only lasted a few seconds but started to occur in groups lasting a few minutes. It was so hard to see such a young baby having these things.” Infantile spasms (also called West syndrome because it was first described by Dr. West, in the 1840s) consist of a sudden jerk followed by stiffening. Often the arms are flung out as the knees are pulled up and the body bends forward (“jackknife seizures”). Less often, the head can be thrown back as the body and legs stiffen in a straight-out position, or movements can be more subtle and limited to the neck or other body parts. Each seizure lasts only a second or two but they usually occur
