8 year old experiences mild dizziness

Posted by absmom @absmom, Jan 6 1:55am

Hi! My 8 year old has been experiencing mild dizziness which usually lasts just for 2-3 minutes. This has been happening daily, once in a day, for over 3-4 weeks now.
We have done a brain MRI and an EEG which showed no abnormalities. However, the doctor has prescribed a low dose of a syrup for seizures for a month. Treatment will be carried forward accordingly, later based on observations for a month.
We, as parents, are totally convinced of this. Besides, the very brief dizziness spell, my kid doesn't face ant other kind of discomfort or disorientation. She is completely fine even when she experiences the dizziness just that she needs to take a break for couple of minutes from whatever she is doing. We have also checked for any deficiencies which may cause this but there is nothing which may contribute to this. Would appreciate, if anyone could suggest or share similar experiences and treatments.

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light001 | @light001 | Jan 12 1:33pm

I can understand how unsettling this must feel as a parent, especially when it’s been happening daily. It’s reassuring that the MRI and EEG are normal and that your child remains fully alert, oriented, and comfortable during these brief episodes. The fact that the dizziness is short-lived, predictable, and not associated with confusion, headache, nausea, or weakness is also encouraging.
In similar situations, some parents have shared that doctors trial anti-seizure medication not because they are certain it’s epilepsy, but as a diagnostic trial—to see whether the episodes reduce or stop, which can help guide the next steps. In children, certain focal or absence-type events can be very subtle and present mainly as brief dizziness or a “pause,” without dramatic symptoms.
Others have also mentioned non-seizure causes being considered alongside this, such as vestibular (inner ear) sensitivity, benign childhood dizziness syndromes, blood pressure changes, dehydration, or even migraine variants in children—especially when imaging and EEG are normal. Often, careful observation over time is what brings clarity.
It sounds like you’re doing all the right things: thorough testing, close observation, and following up with your doctor. Keeping a simple diary of when the episodes happen (time of day, activity, posture, hunger, stress, screen use, etc.) can sometimes reveal useful patterns to share with the doctor.

absmom | @absmom | Jan 13 4:51am

Thank you so much for your comforting reply! Yes we are doing our best and also started keeping a record of the episodes. Will see how this goes forward. Thanks again!