Why Epilepsy?
Whenever I tell someone that I have epilepsy, I usually hear, "my sister's friend has epilepsy" or "I knew a kid in college who had epilepsy." I also hear, "you don't look like you have epilepsy," "what exactly is epilepsy?" and "if you seize, should I put a spoon in your mouth?"
At any given time, 1 in 100 people are living with epilepsy. 1 in 26 will develop it. 1 in 10 will have a seizure at some point. It is the most common neurological disorder in children. While death from epilepsy is rare, it does occur. At least the same amount, if not more, people die each year from epilepsy than from breast cancer. It's amazing that almost everyone seems to know someone with epilepsy, yet not many people are knowledgeable about it. I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 13 and was lucky enough to get on medication that controlled my seizures with few side effects. I also adopted a positive attitude about it right from the beginning. But over the past few years, educating people about epilepsy and raising money for the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago have become fierce passions. So when my co-producer Margaret suggested that we combine our love of theatre and my desire to help people with epilepsy to put on a benefit concert, I was beyond excited. Last year I became president of the new Youth and Young Adult Leadership Council at the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, and one of my first projects was adopting "Seize the Stage" as a Youth Council initiative. We are all eager to see where it goes! ~Sammi Gassel Producer |
About Epilepsy
A seizure occurs when the neurons in your brain misfire or fire inappropriately. There is an electrical surge throughout your brain, which is sometimes described as an "electrical storm." When a person has two or more unprovoked seizures, he or she has epilepsy.
Here are a few facts:
For more information on epilepsy, click here.
Here are a few facts:
- There are many different types of epilepsy, as well as many types of seizures. Convulsing is only a symptom of certain seizures, not of all. Contrary to popular belief, not all seizures involve shaking! To learn more about types of seizures, click here. To learn more about types of epilepsy, click here.
- Anyone can be diagnosed with epilepsy at any age. It can affect everyone, regardless of ethnicity, gender, upbringing, etc.
- While epilepsy can be genetic, there isn't one single epilepsy gene. It is not genetic in all cases, however. Many people with epilepsy give birth to children who never have seizures.
- Only 30% of cases of epilepsy have a known cause. Those causes may include genetic predisposition, infections of the brain (i.e. meningitis), or traumatic brain injury, to name a few. Most people do not know why they have epilepsy.
- When people are having seizures, you should NOT put anything in their mouths or try to restrain them. You could end up injuring them, as well as yourself. It is physically impossible to swallow your tongue, and no matter how much you restrain, they won't stop having the seizure. The only time you should use some form of restraint is during a non-convulsive seizure when the person is in danger or could potentially be a danger to someone else. For a full guide to seizure first aid, please click here.
- Epilepsy is not a mental illness. It is not contagious. It does not mean that you are possessed.
- SUDEP, or Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy, is still not well understood, even by medical professionals. While not common, it is a risk that people with epilepsy face. To learn more about SUDEP, click here.
- There are many different types of treatment for people with epilepsy. The most common is AEDs (Antiepileptic drugs), which cannot cure epilepsy but can treat symptoms and control seizures. There are other treatments though, such as brain surgery, the ketogenic diet, and Vagus Nerve Stimulation. To learn more about treatments, click here.
- People with epilepsy are just like anyone else! :-)
For more information on epilepsy, click here.