2. Epilepsy

3. Epilepsy
By: Brian Roskelly

4. 11.6.11
Epilepsy
By: Brian Roskelly

6. What Is That?
Epilepsy is a disorder that causes seizures
regularly to those who have it.
The disorder is not spreadable, but is genetic
in most ways.

8. Seizures are the most definite signs of
Epilepsy.
Though this is true, seizures can have a root
cause not associated with Epilepsy.
Head injuries are one source of seizures, and
in the long run, possibly the whole Epilepsy
condition.
If you have only ever had a seizure once in
your life, this is a sign of something serious
that is related to an incident not pertaining
to Epilepsy.

10. Who’s Got It?
Epilepsy is known to develop in young
children or aging adults.
However, you can get it at any age, no
matter your health.

11. What’s Going On Up
There?
To sum it up, your brain has electric patterns
that take place all the time. But when those
patterns go haywire, a seizure is the
product.
Your vagus nerve in the back of your neck
controls the actions your body does during a
seizure.

12. Luckily, people who have Epilepsy are at
option to not have to deal with seizures all
the time. There are medications that are
prescribed to people with the condition that
will keep their symptoms of Epilepsy
undercover.
There are long term treatments such as
surgery to the brain, or implementing a
device called a vagus, which sends signals to
the vagus nerve how to control seizures and
keep them from happening.

13. Can It Be Prevented?
There are many ways to keep Epilepsy at
bay, but if you are vulnerable to those tricky
genes, you might get it from someone else in
your family who passed it down to you.
If that is not the case, always encourage
children to wear appropriate head gear, seat
belts, the likes... Head injury should be
prevented, for the brain is the center of the
control of seizures and Epilepsy.

14. Support
Like for Diabetes, there are many websites
and foundations that people with Epilepsy
have access to for addressing their issues,
and sharing insight on their daily life with
the condition. My Epilepsy is a community
online for just that (www.epilepsy.com/
community).

15. Say You Think You
Might Have Epilepsy...
The type of doctor you need to see is a
neurologist specialized in Epilepsy and seizures.
They will perform a test called the
electroencephalogram, which will measure the
electric activity in your brain.
The neurologist may do a physical examination of
you, and if he determines you have Epilepsy, he
will offer the treatment options like surgery or
the vagus.

16. Epilepsy is a very rare condition. At a single
point in time, only about 60,000 people have
the disorder, yet only 5% of the population
will ever have a seizure in their life.
Realize that it is sometimes embarrassing for
epileptic children to have seizures right in
front of their friends. They won’t know what
is going on, and might call the awkward
flailing of the arms and legs and the
twitching funny.
Epilepsy does not limit anyone from doing
everyday things. Jobs don’t disregard people
with the disorder, because they are people
just like you and me. So, next time you see
someone have a seizure, Epileptic or not, give
support, because those people are strong for
living with Epilepsy...

17. The End