Submersion accidents in children with epilepsy
J. P. Orlowski, A. D. Rothner and H. Lueders
The risks of submersion accidents, both drowning and near-drowning, for
children with seizure disorders were calculated from the present study of
six children with epilepsy in a total group of 100 children with
postsubmersion syndrome and from five other reported studies. Analysis of
data shows that the risk for patients with seizure disorders is four times
that of the normal population. Persons with epilepsy should never swim
without a lifeguard or competent swimmer being aware of the diagnosis and
keeping close surveillance while they are swimming. Hyperventilation, a
normal occurrence while swimming, may predispose patients with epilepsy to
seizures and submersion accidents by increasing the propensity to seizures.
In this study, three of the victims had at least one anticonvulsant drug
level within the therapeutic range immediately after the submersion
accident. Therapeutic drug levels are no guarantee that seizures will not
occur during swimming.
