Epilepsy

WHAT IS EPILEPSY?

People with Epilepsy are just like everybody else, except they sometimes have seizures. A seizure is caused by a sudden burst of excess electrical activity in the brain, causing a temporary disruption in the normal message passing between brain cells. This results in the brain's messages becoming temporarily halted or mixed up.

The brain is responsible for all our bodily functions, so what a person experiences during a seizure will depend on where in the brain the epileptic activity begins and how widely and rapidly it spreads. For this reason, there are many different types of seizure and each person will experience epilepsy in a way that is unique to them.

Seizures can happen at any time and they generally only last a matter of seconds or minutes, after which the brain usually returns to normal. Epilepsy is generally not the kind of condition that gets worse with time. Most adults who have it can expect to live a normal life span.

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE EPILEPSY?

Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition in the UK. 1 in every 130 adults and children in the UK has epilepsy. This means that there are around 450,000 people with Epilepsy in the UK.

WHAT CAUSES EPILEPSY?

Anyone can develop Epilepsy; it occurs in all ages, races and social classes. The reasons why some people develop Epilepsy are not straightforward and there are many possible causes. Whatever the reason, a person's seizure threshold will play a key role.

TREATMENT

The good news is that treatments are available that can successfully prevent seizures for most people with Epilepsy. There are many seizure medicines. Each one tends to work better for certain kinds of seizures than for others. The doctor chooses one based on the type of seizure, the person's age, and whether the person has any other medical conditions.

Surgery, diet (primarily in children), or electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, a large nerve leading into the brain, may be options if medications fail to control seizures. Several drugs (called antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drugs) are prescribed to prevent seizures. Many factors are involved in choosing the right seizure drug. The goal of treatment is to stop seizures without side effects from the medicines.

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Although the information we have provided here is meant to be helpful to you, Douglas Silas Solicitors cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss caused by any inaccuracy or reliance placed upon it. If you have any concerns about your child, you should seek professional educational or healthcare advice as soon as possible.