Seizure

Establishing Diagnosis

• Most Useful Diagnostic – comprehensive description of the seizures– patient's health history

• EEG• Magnetoencephalography (MEG)• PET Scan• CBC• CMP

Available Support• Medications• Diet

– Ketogenic Diet• Surgery

– Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)– Multiple Subpial Transection (MST)– Temporal Lobe Resection– Lesionectomy– Corpus callosotomy

• Support Groups– Psychosocial Aspects of Disease– What to ask doctor– Legal references– Newest Treatments– EpilepsyFoundation.org– Epilepsy.com

Agency Visit

SERVING PERSONS WITH EPILEPSY,

THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY

SINCE 1973

Statistics• Epilepsy can develop at any age and

can be a result of genetics, stroke, head injury, and many other factors.

• In two-thirds of patients diagnosed with Epilepsy, the cause is unknown.

• Epilepsy affects over 3 million Americans of all ages – more than Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and Parkinson’s Disease combined.

• In America, Epilepsy is as common as Breast Cancer, and takes as many lives.

• Almost 500 new cases of Epilepsy are diagnosed every day in the United States.

• Epilepsy affects 50,000,000 people worldwide.

• In over 30% of patients, seizures cannot be controlled with treatment.

• Uncontrolled seizures may lead to brain damage and death.

• Up to 50,000 Americans die each year from seizures and related causes.

• The mortality rate among people with Epilepsy is two - three times higher than the general population.

• Risk of sudden death among those with Epilepsy is twenty-four times greater.

(source: www.epilepsy.com)

Psychosocial FactorsOften more impactful than the seizures themselves

• lack of independence • restriction of social activities • side effects of medications • fatigue • impaired self-esteem /feeling different• depression or anxiety about illness • worries about the future • loss of sense of control • multiple hospitalizations and medical visits• increased stressors on parents / caregivers

Transportation

• A huge issue (especially in states that do not have extensive public transportation services)

• Loss of driving privileges (due

to safety concerns/seizures) is a big contributor to a loss of independence

• Interferes with many essential activities:

EMPLOYMENT,SCHOOL,MEDICAL

APPOINTMENTS,GROCERY SHOPPING,

ETC…

Employment

• Many adults with epilepsy are employed and work in a wide range of fields.

• Many will not have or will seldom have a seizure at work. However, persons with epilepsy are often perceived by employers as “difficult to employ”

Jeopardy -QUESTION # 1

Can people outrgrow epilepsy?

Jeopardy -ANSWER # 1

WHAT IS:

YESin many cases children may simply outgrow the seizures

Jeopardy - QUESTION #2

TRUE OR FALSE -MANY FAMOUS PEOPLE HAVE HAD EPILEPSY?

Jeopardy -ANSWER #2TRUE - Many Famous people throughout the ages have had epilepsy

Alexander the GreatJulius Caesar

SocratesNapoleon Bonaparte

Leonardo da VinciVincent Van Gogh

Charles DickensAgatha ChristieThomas EdisonHarriet Tubman

Margeaux HemingwayDanny Glover

Prince(Source: Epilepsy Services of West Central Florida)

VIDEO CLIPS ???

• http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=seizure&view=detail&mid=47319C60EA3CA679865547319C60EA3CA6798655&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR

Surgery

• Removes or isolates the area of the brain where seizures originate. – If too vital a series of incisions to prevent seizures

from spreading

Types of Surgery

• Removing a portion of the brain• Severing connection between hemispheres• Removing half the brain

Surgical Risks

• Memory problems• Motor skills and language problems• Double vision• Increased number of seizures• Reduced visual field• Partial, one-sided paralysis

Nutritional-Ketogenic

• Ketogenic diet may help offset seizures– Very low carb, adequate protein and high fat diet– Calories and fluids are restricted and the diet must

be supplemented with vitamins and calcium

Ketogenic Diet

– Difficult diet to follow– Requires constant monitoring and supervision– Many still need to take medications to help

control seizures– Short term side effects may include constipation,

nausea, hunger and lack of energy

Jeopardy question

• People with seizures learn to cope with their disorders and often do not require medical attention for a seizure. However, there is a certain situation that can arise that is always considered to be a medical emergency. What is it?

A) Having two or more short seizures in a 24 hour period

B) Memory loss C) A tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure D) Status epilepticus

Jeopardy Answer

• D) Status epilepticus

Jeopardy question

• Throughout history, people have associated epilepsy with a number of things. Which of these have been associated with epilepsy?

A) The person was thought to have offended the gods. B) The person was thought to be a witch. C) All of these have been associated with epilepsy. D) The person was thought to be possessed by the

devil.

Jeopardy answer

• D) Status epilepticus

• More jeopardy questions http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz33980426e6828.html