Non-Pain Symptoms
Seizures:
Seizures are a frequent symptom in children with neurological degenerative diseases and metabolic disorders.
Causes:
The etiology depends on the underlying diagnosis.
In general seizures can be due to:
- Epilepsy
- Disease progression
- Low blood levels of anticonvulsants
- Increased sensitivity due to systemic illness (fever)
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Hypoglycemia
- Hypercalcemia
- Hyponatremia
- Drug toxicity (opioids)
- Central nervous system
- Primary tumor
- Cerebral metastasis
- Raised intracranial pressure
Treatment:
Benzodiazepines
- Most effective acute treatment for seizures.
- Sublingual, rectal, buccal and subcutaneous routes are commonly used in palliative care.
Commonly used doses:
Lorazepam 0.05-0.1 mg/kg/dose SL/PR/PO
Diazepam 0.3-0.5 mg/kg/dose PR
Midazolam 0.2-0.3 mg/kg/dose Buccal.
