Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. There are many different types of epilepsy and many different kinds of seizures. Epilepsy can get in the way of life mostly when seizures keep happening. To control their seizures, people with epilepsy may take medicine, have surgery, or follow a special diet. Epilepsy is common. About 3.4 million people in the U.S. have it.
What
comes to mind when you think of a seizure? In the movies and on TV, they often
show a person falling to the ground, shaking, and becoming unaware of what’s
going on around them. That’s one kind of seizure, but it’s not the most common.
More often, a person having a seizure may seem confused, stare into space,
wander, make unusual movements, or can’t answer questions or talk. Sometimes it
is hard to tell when a person is having a seizure, Below are important facts for us all to know
for an epileptic we come in contact with whether it’s a family member, friend,
or stranger:
1.
You can’t
swallow your tongue during a seizure. It's physically impossible.
2.
You should never
force something into the mouth of someone having a seizure. Doing this can chip
teeth, cut gums, or even break someone's jaw. Gently roll the person on one
side, support their head, protect from injury, and make sure their breathing is
okay.
3.
Don’t restrain
someone having a seizure. Most seizures end in seconds or a few minutes and
will end on their own.
4.
Anyone can
develop epilepsy. Seizures start for the first time in people
over age 65 almost as often
as it does in children. Seizures in the elderly are often the after effect of
other health problems like stroke and heart disease.
5.
Most people with
epilepsy can do the same things that people without epilepsy can do. However,
some people with frequent seizures may not be able to work, drive, or may have problems in other
parts of their life.
6.
People with
epilepsy can handle jobs with responsibility and stress. People with seizure
disorders are found in all walks of life. They may work in business,
government, the arts, and all sorts of professions. If
stress bothers their seizures, they may need to learn ways to manage
stress at work. But
everyone needs to learn how to cope with stress. There may be some types of
jobs that people with epilepsy can’t do because of possible safety problems. Otherwise, having epilepsy
should not affect the type of job or responsibility that a person has.
7.
Even with
today's medication, epilepsy cannot be cured. Epilepsy is a chronic medical
problem that for many people can be successfully treated. Unfortunately,
treatment doesn't work for everyone. At least, 1 million people in the United
States have uncontrolled epilepsy. There is still an urgent need for more
research, better treatments, and a cure for epilepsy.
8.
Epilepsy is not rare.
There are more than twice as many people with epilepsy in the U.S. as the
number of people with cerebral palsy (500,000), muscular dystrophy (250,000),
multiple sclerosis (350,000), and cystic fibrosis (30,000) combined. Epilepsy
can occur as a single condition or may be seen with other conditions affecting
the brain, such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, autism, Alzheimer's
disease, and traumatic brain injury.
9.
You can die from
epilepsy. While death in epilepsy doesn't happen frequently, epilepsy is a very
serious condition and individuals do die from seizures. The most common cause
of death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). While there is a lot we still don’t
know about SUDEP, experts estimate that 1 out of every 1,000 people with
epilepsy die from SUDEP each year.
“I want people with epilepsy to know that there are ways in which
they can play a role in their own recovery. It's all in how they approach what
is happening and how they can use that as a catalyst for their own growth. If
there's one thing that I've learned, it's that people are willing to embrace
you if you share your story.” (Danny Glover) [i]
[i] Sources used:
“5 Things You Should
Know About Epilepsy” by CDC
“Facts
about Seizures and Epilepsy” by Patricia O. Shafe and Joseph I. Sirven
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