My 13 year old daughter has type 1 diabetes and was previously diagnosed as having a seizure disorder. Can anti-seizure medicine prevent a hypoglycemia-caused seizure, or change the sensitivity to hypo seizures in a person with diabetes? Does anyone put a child with diabetes on anti-seizure medications to prevent hypo seizures?

In the absence of have any proof that they are not hypo seizures, with blood sugars low as apposed to high after a seizure, does it make any sense to use anti-seizure medications?

We don’t really know the answer but most of us think that anticonvulsive medications, when prescribed under the proper circumstances, do decrease the chances of a convulsion associated with hypoglycemia. This is why they are sometimes recommended even when EEG tests are normal. Of course, EEG tests do not reflect 100% of brain activity, only the activity at the time of the EEG. 24 hour EEG testing sometimes is used to try to get a better idea or brain function at different times of the day and night. It’s still best to discuss these specific questions with your diabetes team and with your neurology team — perhaps get them to consult with each other as well — since they will know specifics about one patient rather than generalities.

SB