November is Epilepsy Alliance Month

By Pat Gibson

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting 1 in 26 people. The word epilepsy comes from an old Greek word meaning “to be seized.” Epilepsy has been fraught with misconceptions and misunderstandings throughout history. it can affect any one of us, at any time, at any age. The most common ages for seizures to develop is in early childhood and after age 60. One in ten of us will have a seizure in our lifetime. However, these are isolated events and do not indicate a diagnosis of epilepsy. The term epilepsy refers to a condition in which the person has a tendency for recurring seizures and requires treatment, usually medication, for control of the seizures. Seizures are a symptom of an underlying problem in the neural network of the brain and can take many forms from brief staring spells to a convulsion, in which the person loses consciousness, falls to the floor, stiffens and has jerking movements of the extremities. There are many causes of seizures such as infections, head injuries, brain malformations, strokes, or genetics, to name just a few.


Fortunately for most folks, seizures can be controlled with medication, diet therapy, or surgery. Some seizures, especially those starting in childhood, may even go away in time. However, not all are so fortunate and about one third of those with epilepsy will have a very difficult time with seizure control with our present treatments. It is an exciting time, however, in the field of epilepsy as many studies of new treatments are underway.


Witnessing a seizure for the first time can be alarming and it is important that all of us know what to do.

When to Call 911 or EMS
The person has several seizures in a short time.
The seizure lasts more than five minutes.
The person is injured due to the seizure.
The person is choking or having problems with breathing after the seizure stops.

For All Types of Seizures
Stay calm.
Do not try to restrain or hold the person down.
Stay with them until they have recovered.

For Generalized Tonic-Clonic (Convulsive) Seizures
Remove dangerous objects from the area.
Cushion the head if the person is on a hard surface.
Turn the person on his/her side (preferably left side once seizure is over)
Do not put anything in the person’s mouth—it is not possible to swallow the tongue.

For Focal (Partial) Seizures
Mostly observe the seizures but guide the person away from any dangerous situation (roads, etc.). should this be an issue.
Do not try to hold them or talk loudly to them.
Explain what happened when the person has recovered.

For more information about seizures, contact the Epilepsy Information Service at Wake Forest University School of Medicine at 1-800-642-0500 or the Epilepsy Alliance NC for information on events and Activities at 800-451-0694.

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