Personal info Child

name: Brittany P.
sex: Female
2/15/1993 - 8/19/1999
country: OK USA

Epilepsy info

primary diagnosis: Myoclonic Seizures
additional: Idiopathic epilepsy
cause: Unknown at this time
date diagnosed: Aug. 23, 1996
type(s) of seizures: Brittany has myoclonic jerks daily,absence sometimes and occassional grand mal.
frequency of seizures: Daily
additional health issues: None

Medications used (in chronological order)

Divalproex (Depakote, Depakote Sprinkles, Epilim)
- still being used: No
- effectiveness: Negative
- max. dose: 5 125mg cap. daily
- positive effect: None
- comments: Myoclonic seizures began and got worse on depakote. Brittany had no attention span when on this drug.
Clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril)
- still being used: No
- effectiveness: Negative
- positive effect: None
- side effects: Extremly irritable and emotional
Nitrazepam
- still being used: Yes
- effectiveness: Unknown
- max. dose: 1 tab pm / 3/4 am
- side effects: Drowsy
- comments: Brittany was on this before with little improvement with other drugs she is using it only now and it seems to help some.
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
- still being used: Yes
- effectiveness: Unknown
- max. dose: 50mg daily
- positive effect: Unknown
- side effects: None
Topiramate (Topamax)
- still being used: No
- effectiveness: Neutral
- max. dose: 4 tab daily
- positive effect: Improvements initially
- side effects: Anorexia
- comments: Had to discontinue due to the anorexia. Brittany is underweight anyway and not wanting to eat was no good!!

Personal Notes

Brittany was a very normal 3 1/2 year old when her seizures started. They started as absence only lasting 5-7 minutes with only eye twitching. Then grand-mal occasionally slowly the myoclonics began and she stopped walking and talking. Now she can't walk talk or even feed herself. We are currently awaiting results of muscle biopsy we had done looking at possible undiagnosed neurological disorder. We are also going to start Gabitril this week to see if it will help with the seizures. Up to now nothing has given Brittany total control. We hope to find some answers very soon for our precious Brittany. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family's on this list.
Update 12/29/99: After many years of trying to find out what was the matter with Brittany we found out in May 1999 she had a rare genetic disorder called Battens Disease, Brittany had deteriated dramatically over the last 6 months and Brittany passed away in her sleep at home on August 19th 1999. There is no cure for Battens disease and it is always fatal. I do not want to scare anyone but we thought for almost 3 years our daughter had difficult to control epilepsy. If your child is not responding to the medications don't settle for "well we just don't know" Insist that more tests are performed. Best wishes to everyone you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Contact info

For additional information, please send e-mail to Kari (skpryce@prodigy.net)