Is this a seizure?

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There are several signs to indicate that my youngest son may have inherited my Asperger's. He is almost 8 years old. His school agrees with us (my wife and I) that a diagnosis is a good idea. So...the autism center has sent us the paper work. There is a question about seizures. He has never had a seizure like the convulsive type. And I don't know if what I am about to explain is a seizure or not---but maybe you can help me. Sometimes, especially when he is eating (at a restaurant), he will get real "out of it" and act like he is going to go to sleep. Sometimes he leans over and can't get up. On one occasion he threw up. Tonight, at a restaurant, he stopped eating after only a couple bites and put his head down. I asked if he was alright. He said he felt "gassy." He refused to eat anymore. And he acted tired---he hardly ever acts tired. He went to the bathroom, and came back to the table, and still didn't eat anymore. But instead, he just kept running his fingers along the decorative trim of our booth---over and over again. This happens at different restaurants, and with different types of food.

At school this year, I have been called several times to the nurse's office to get him (I teach at the school). He is said to be nauseated and tired. He acts like he is going to go to sleep. I call my parents to get him. Then after he is home awhile, he snaps out of it and is playing like usual. He isn't faking it, because at school he usually gets really pale looking during one of these episodes. And the nurse says, "he is not faking."

So...is this some kind of seizure that could be caused by autism? Thank you for your help.

Maybe.

Perhaps complex partial seizure. The sudden change in alertness is consistent.

Often a stomach sensation (described sometimes as the "tickle belly" resulting from an irregularity in the road in an auto) is associated.

These are easily treated - harder to diagnose as an EEG often does not record deeper structures, and may record nothing at all if a seizure is not at the moment active.

It's rather like going to a lake, catching no fish, and concluding that there are no fish in the lake.

seizure does not cause autism.

seizures are short like seconds or minutes.

I actually have that same problem with the stomach issues. He may just have a over sensitive stomach. I suggest he eats light like applesauce, yogurt, sprite, shebert or anything else like that. It usually helps my tummy.
I have been to my Doctors several times in the past years and have not found anything physical causing the problem. I am not a diagnosed Aspie yet. I am having the same stomach issues now. They have tried to tell my parents its psychological in the past. I am always tired and I sleep a lot. He just needs quiet time and rest. Time to himself. I hope my advice works. Feel free to PM me.
I get pale a lot too and I also heat up.
Good luck.
It could just be anxiety or stress- nerves maybe he is worried about school. I know school helped cause it and when I dated.

Some symptoms sound like they may be diabetes. Take him for an A1C test. It is a simple blood test that will tell you if he has diabetes. It is the most reliable quick test you can get. The NORMAL fasting test is not nearly as good, and requires that he fast for a time. If the A1C ends up being questionable, there is a more lengthy test to confirm things, but that is more involved and more expensive.

The running of his fingers over things COULD be related to decreased mental ability caused by a sugar crash caused by diabetes. That will ALSO certainly cause the tiredness. If I am wrong, you can EASILY confirm it. If he DOES have diabetes, it is best you find out ASAP. BTW OTHER symptoms CAN be increased drinking, and urination.

Diabetes CAN be insidious, as it could give you mania, and make you hyper, AND lead to severe sleepiness. The early symptoms seem kind of tame, but later ones can be real bad.

Thank you for the responses so far. I would like to clarify some things here.

To Learning2Survive---I know that a seizure does not cause autism---what I had asked was "So...is this some kind of seizure that could be caused by autism?" I was wondering if this is a type of seizure that autism could cause.

To 2ukenkerl---He was tested for diabetes very recently because of this issue---and he does not have that. They had no explanation for it other than perhaps "something going around at the school like a virus." But since he has done this numerous times I am wondering about the seizure possibility.

To Jamin---It does sound like a type of seizure based on what you have told me.

To Josie---I see he is not alone in these symptoms. I do feel like he gets stressed at times. I know there was one time at school he did this and he was having a challenging day.

glider18,
though it could be one of many things including seizures [whether epilepsy or not],it sounds like autistic shutdown,this is when there is too much overload going on,be it input through ears,taste,vision etc,too much stress... so the body shuts off to outside input,and reboots itself when recovered,it can send to sleep,or make very sleepy-too many different symptoms to mention here and severity.am will find the best article available on it in a bit [recovering vision from a mild overload today].
am also thinking shutdown because of the places it's happening in.
dont expect a neuro to know what it is though,the ones am have [including autistic specialists,had no idea about it].

son needs to have a several day EEG done to make sure not epilepsy [theress other forms of seizure to],and he will have to be set off during it,using whatever means,if his are not random.
short EEGs are not good,unless he's guaranteed to be set off in that time.

It's good to rule things like seizures out. However, the behaviors you describe are what I used to do when younger (and often in adulthood) when overwhelmed or anxious. To cope with it, I'd try to go to sleep in unusual places, and would completely lose my appetite. Places like restaurants and theatres were the worst for me; or anywhere unfamiliar. There were occasions it happened at school, which would involve a trip to the nurse and leaving early, only to recover suddenly at home. The trying to sleep, putting my head down and fiddling with objects was usually done once it had gotten so bad I was on the verge of throwing up.

Autistic shutdown sounds like the thing that is going on with my son. It can also happen when he gets frustrated with homework. There can be so much that he is trying to do that he gets overwhelmed. KingdomOfRats seems to be describing this condition quite well. And outlier---interesting you used to do this same thing. And you describe it exactly as to how my son does it. And Spacedoubt describes it too with her daughter. So I now see that he is not the only one who has done this---and it could be a seizure of some type/autistic shutdown. As for the diabetes, we will keep an eye on that, but he was tested not using the fasting method that is said to be not the best test---so he must have had the better test. I do know his pediatrician was very careful in getting the best testing for him. Thank you for your help.

I know people don;t believe it but gluten and dairy foods can do this.

I had severe food related symptoms till I went gluten and dairy free.

I don't understand why you're dragging a Aspie child around to restaurants...

Even if the food gives him gas and makes his stomach rowdy, it can be the stress from his surrounding since your stomach can get upset if your mind is not stable and calm.

I am not dragging an Aspie child to restaurants. That sounds like you are accusing me of child abuse or something. He wants to go to restaurants like everyone else. And furthermore, I was asking if those symptoms were seizure like symptoms. Everyone else here so far has been helpful in this.

We don't know that he has AS. I have AS and as a child I loved restaurants. He loves restaurants. He is in a public school like the other kids. He usually does fine---it's just every once in awhile. He is a child like other children---he enjoys Wal-Mart, parties, the school environment, etc. He doesn't want to stay home.

Also---this just doesn't happen at restaurants. It can happen at school. And it can happen at home.

I want to thank those of you who offered support here as to these being possible seizures. I have enough information now for my paperwork. So there is no more need for replies. Thank you again.