Living with Epilepsy

by: AimyD
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Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that is characterized by unprovoked seizures. These seizures are signs due to abnormal or synchronous neuronal activity in a person’s brain. Worldwide approximately 50million people have a case of epilepsy at some point in their lives.

Epilepsy can be controlled but cannot be cured with medication, yet in some cases surgery may be an option. Not every one with epilepsy has the syndrome long term. This is due to some forms of epilepsy being confined to stages of childhood. Epilepsy it not a single disorder, it is a group of syndromes with divergent symptoms which all involve episodic abnormal activity in the brain.

What causes Epilepsy?

Doctors are not sure exactly why someone develops epilepsy. Yet some scientists have made a list of things that will make a person more likely to develop this disorder. This list includes reasons such as:

-Brain tumors or even strokes
-Brain injury from a car crash or even bike accident
-Alcohol or lead poisoning
-Any type of infection that infects the brain
-Lack of oxygen to an infants brain during childbirth
-Infection that affected the brain of the fetus during pregnancy

This disorder is not contagious nor is it inherited through family. Yet, if you have a family history of epilepsy you are at a higher risk to develop this disorder than someone who has no family history of seizures.

Living with Epilepsy

Just because someone has epilepsy doesn’t mean they can’t participate in any extracurricular activities, date, or work. If you have epilepsy you should be sure to tell the people close to you (friends, relatives, teachers, and coaches) about your epilepsy and teach them what to do in case you have a seizure when they're with you. Some of the things friends can do to help someone who's having a seizure are:

-Stay calm.
-Don’t force, but rather help, the person to lie down on his or her side, preferably on a soft surface, and place something soft under the person's head.
-Take the person's glasses or backpack off and loosen any tight clothing near the neck.
-Don't restrain or hold the person.
-Move any and all objects, especially sharp or hard ones, away from the person.
-Stay with the person or make sure another friend or trusted person stays with him or her.
-Talk to the person in with a calm, reassuring voice after the seizure is over.
-Observe the event and be able to describe what happened before, during, and after the seizure.
-Do not place an object into the person's mouth during a seizure. This object could be swallowed making this more fatal than it needs to be.

If you or someone you is living with epilepsy you should be sure to follow your treatment plan as instructed by your doctor. Also, be sure to get plenty of sleep, eat right and exercise to reduce stress and most of all increase health.