Besides Epilepsy, What Can Cause Seizures?

A seizure can be a symptom of many different health problems.

A child with a rapidly increasing fever can have a seizure (febrile seizure).
An extremely low blood sugar level can trigger a seizure in a person with diabetes.
Nonepileptic seizure (NES), also called pseudoseizure, is a condition that can cause seizurelike activity.
Withdrawal from alcohol, prescription medication, or street drugs can cause seizures.
Many times a seizure is a symptom of an illness, such as meningitis or encephalitis.
A brain tumor or structural defect in the brain may cause a seizure. Structural defects can include:
Aneurysms. An aneurysm is a bulging section in the wall of a blood vessel that has become stretched out and thin.
Arteriovenous malformations. An arteriovenous malformation is a congenital disorder that causes an abnormal web of blood vessels and veins in the brain, brain stem, or spinal cord. The vessel walls of an arteriovenous malformation may become weak and leak or rupture.
Cysts. A cyst is a saclike structure usually filled with fluid. Some cysts are filled with blood. Others are filled with clear fluid or pus.
Damage after a stroke, brain surgery, or a head injury.
Parasitic infections, such as tapeworm or toxoplasmosis.
Problems that have been present since birth (congenital problems).