Autism and Epilepsy: What Parents Need to Know

Autism and epilepsy share some of the same underlying differences in how the brain develops, which is why epilepsy is more common in autistic children than in the wider population. There tend to be two ages when it's more likely to appear: early childhood and adolescence.

It's important to keep this in perspective: most autistic children will never have epilepsy. But because it's more common, it's worth knowing the signs so you can act if you ever need to.

Seizures are much more varied than many people expect. They can include:

• Convulsive seizures — stiffening, jerking, loss of consciousness.
• Absence seizures — brief 'blanking out' or staring, stopping mid-activity, not responding for a few seconds.
• Brief jerks of the limbs, or sudden drops/falls.
• Unusual repetitive movements, lip-smacking, fiddling, or confusion.

Some of these can look like daydreaming or stimming, which makes them easy to miss. Suspect a possible seizure if your child can't be brought out of the episode, seems confused afterwards, or it happens in a consistent, out-of-character way. When unsure, film it and show your doctor.

If you think your child may have had a seizure:

• See a doctor. A first suspected seizure should always be assessed.
• Keep a record — a phone video and notes of time, length and what you saw are extremely helpful, because children rarely have a seizure during the appointment.
• Diagnosis may involve a specialist and tests (such as an EEG).
• Management — epilepsy is usually well controlled with medication; your team will guide dosing and a seizure plan.
• Tell school and share the seizure plan so staff know what to do.

With the right plan in place, most children with epilepsy live full, active lives.