Dennie's Journey

Well as many of you may or may not know. Dennie has been going through some health issues these last few months... She has been diagnosed with Infantile Spasms and a mild form of West Syndrome. Her first EEGs showed Hypsarrhythmia, (that is disorganization in the brain) This can cause learning delays, regression and also retardation.The Doctors at Loma Linda Hospital Put her on ACTH right away. It is an injectable steriod that dennie had to have daily for about a month. This stopped her seizures and our hopes were high!! When we started whening her off of the ACTH she began having seizures again, The Doctor raised her dose of ACTH and continued for a longer amount of time than originally planned. After she was weind of it for and with out it for several weeks Dennie started having seizures again. After several EEGs and a new med called KEPRA. We were confident that things were getting better. Then out of the blue her seizures stared up agian! Although her seizures are MUCH less strong and less frequent than they were when she was first diagnosed. We decided that we needed a second opinion. So of to UCLA Medical Center. After a 4 Hour EEG we learned that it showed no sign of Hypsarrhythmia!!!! When we heard the news we were was SOOOO excited I felt as if I were going to cry right there in the Doctors office of pure happiness. The Doctor made it clear that given this was only a 4 hour EEG and the Doctor cant be 100% positive that the hypsarrhythmia is completly gone. We have high hopes that it really is gone. We are having a 24 Hour EEG in a few days I am excited nervious and a little scared. She has had a few seizures since that Doctor visit and the doctor has prescirbed another seizure med. After some tinkering with the dosage she seems to have less seizures than before. We will have much more information after the EEG. I will be sure to update on what happens.

Mean while Dennie has been learning so many new wonderful things. She has been having a teacher come in two times a week to work with her on her language and cognitive development. She has come so far in a short amount of time. Our goal is to have her ready to go into preschool and be right where she should be. She has a ways to go but we can do it. I will post more later on the kinds of activites we do with dennie to help her language progress :)
Thanks for reading !!
Love from the EMMETTS!!! :)