Shake, Rattle , and Roll

Let’s talk epilepsy and a brain condition called cortical dysplasia.

Cortical dysplasia is an abnormality in the brain’s development that is present during birth (congenital). As the brain is developing naturally in utero, neurons become displaced and fail to grow in the innermost parts of the brain. They spread out, or migrate outward to the cerebral cortex. When these neurons fail to position correctly, signals misfire – triggering a seizure. Cortical dysplasia used to be considered rare but it is now one of the most common types of epilepsy in children. Most often, it is associated with seizures that are difficult to control with medication.   

This paragraph, taken from an online article at http://www.nervous-system-diseases.com/cortical-dysplasia.html, reads like this: “Normally, the brain cells, the neurons, are born during development in the innermost part of the brain, near the ventricles, the fluid-filled spaces within the brain. As they develop, they travel outwards to populate the outermost grey matter of the brain, the cerebral cortex. The normal cortex has a very specific and complex architecture with 6 primary layers of neurons. In some children, this process of development does not occur properly in some parts of the brain. As a result, the cortex in that area develops abnormally, often without the normal layers, architecture and connections that are required for the normal functioning of the brain.”

Of course, the severity of this condition is different among each individual. Why do I tell you all of this? Well, not too many people know but our youngest son was born with this condition, unbeknownst to us. We were surprised one afternoon when Danny had a tonic-clonic (or Grand Mal) seizure when he was 12 years old. His condition went undetected for twelve years! We feel we were very lucky. After many tests and speaking with many specialists, we were told about our son’s condition. The neurosurgeon also added that he believes Danny suffered a stroke at birth and it went undetected, because he could see that all of the grey matter around the injured areas (where the cortical dysplasia is present) is dead. He informed us that this could happen because baby’s brains just move on and around the problem, not like adult brains who suffer a stroke. (I know! Amazing, right?)  

We are also very lucky in that Danny doesn’t suffer from having too many seizures. He was immediately put on anti-seizure medication, to which he is responding well with. This is when our health journey really began, as a family. I felt the need to really focus in on executing our “normal” routine. I just wanted everything to be normal. We had to refrain from his contact sports; he spent the three years prior playing football and doing boxing at the gym. He’s an all-around athletic kid so playing other sports and doing other activities was completely okay with him. We finally had an answer to his “learning disability” and the teachers were better able to accommodate him, educationally. I later learned the ketogenic diet works very well as nutritional therapy for people with epilepsy.

This is a very vague pic of Danny’s brain. Of course, there is a lot more detail on the MRI, but you get the gist of the matter at hand here. The black spaces are the “open” spaces. The main open area leads all the way down into the center areas of his brain, going downward toward his brain stem area. Danny continues to see his neurologist every three months, with EEG testing every 9 – 12 months. With medication and proper diet, activity, and most importantly sleep, he’s been averaging one seizure every year and a half to two years. We were able to learn the effects of Danny being too tired or not eating properly, in how these lead to signs of having a seizure. I think, for the most part, we have been able to control it.    

Danny is now 18 years old. He’s your average teenage kind of guy, and a pretty handsome one if you ask me. What I know now that I didn’t know then, is that what I thought was “normal” before, is now the new “normal”, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it. Inspire to live healthier.

I am not a doctor, a chemist, nor a dermatologist. I am only a mom, sharing my opinion of life experiences and what I was taught in the AFPA certification program, who wants to provide a more natural and healthy lifestyle for my family and others. The information contained on the Honey Hill Naturals or blog websites is provided for informational purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your doctor or other qualified health care practitioner. The information available on or through the Honey Hill Naturals newsletters, or (including, but not limited to, information that may be provided by writers, editors, healthcare and/or nutrition professionals employed by, or contracting with, Honey Hill Naturals and / or their associates), is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or prescribe medication. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements or ailments on any of the above sites or newsletters, may not have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States of America.