Some people may know that November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. But sadly, most people in the world don't know it. Both my sister and my aunt have Epilepsy, and I know how that there are a lot of people that are uninformed about what Epilepsy is, and how to handle seizures.
Statistics:
65 Million people in the world have Epilepsy.
Over 2 million people in the United States that have Epilepsy.
150,000 is how many new cases of Epilepsy arise each year.
1/3 of Epilepsy patients live with uncontrollable seizures because no treatment is effective in their case.
And 6 out of 10 is the number of people where the cause of their Epilepsy is unknown.
What happens in the brain during a seizure?
A seizure is a physical reaction to excessive electrical discharges in the brain cells. I like to compare it to a lightning storm.
What types of seizures are there?
There are 6 more common types of seizures:
Generalized Seizures: These types of seizures involve the entire brain.
Generalized Tonic Clonic Seizures-Most common and best known. It begins with the person exhaling all of the air from their lungs(Can be a sigh, an yawn, a scream, etc.) The person may fall (if they are standing), their limbs stiffen, and they begin to jerk.
Myoclonic Seizures-Often mistaken for clumsiness. It is usually as simple as the hand or foot jerking.
Atonic Seizures-The person usually will just collapse due to complete loss of muscle tone.
Absence Seizures-(Also called Petit Mal Seizures.) The person looses awareness, and may seem like they are just staring off. These seizures usually begin and end quickly.
Partial Seizures: These types of seizures only involve part of the brain.
"Virtually any movement, sensory, or emotional symptom can occur as part of a partial seizure, including complex visual or auditory hallucinations."
Simple Partial Seizures-The person will remain conscious.
Complex Partial Seizures-The person will loose consciousness.
What needs to be done if someone has a seizure?
There is an old belief that you are supposed to stick something in a seizing person's mouth to keep them from swallowing their tongue. Not true. It is physically impossible to swallow your tongue. When you get a chance, go look in the mirror at the under-side of your tongue. See that little thing connecting your tongue to the bottom of your mouth? That's called the lingual frenulum. Having that there makes it totally impossible to swallow your tongue. Putting something in their mouth make actually choke them faster than their own tongue will.
But, it is possible that the tongue may get in the way during a seizure. That's what the Recovery Position is for, but I'll talk about that in a minute.
During a seizure, don't hold the person down or try to move them. Just move anything away from them that they might hurt themselves on (Chairs, sharp objects, etc.), and "let them do their thing," as my aunt says.
A Generalized Seizure should never last over five minutes. If it does, 911 should be called.
Now, about the Recovery Position. After the seizure ends, simply roll the person onto their side, to help their breathing. Be friendly and reassuring with the person as they begin to regain consciousness. They will likely be confused at first.
Offer to call one of their family members for them if they seem too confused or unstable to get home.
The color Pink is used for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What color is for Epilepsy Awareness Month?
The color for Epilepsy Awareness Month is Purple!
Please help inform others about Epilepsy, because 1 in 26 people will develop Epilepsy in their lifetime.
All credit goes to the Epilepsy Foundation for the information used!
Statistics:
65 Million people in the world have Epilepsy.
Over 2 million people in the United States that have Epilepsy.
150,000 is how many new cases of Epilepsy arise each year.
1/3 of Epilepsy patients live with uncontrollable seizures because no treatment is effective in their case.
And 6 out of 10 is the number of people where the cause of their Epilepsy is unknown.
What happens in the brain during a seizure?
A seizure is a physical reaction to excessive electrical discharges in the brain cells. I like to compare it to a lightning storm.
What types of seizures are there?
There are 6 more common types of seizures:
Generalized Seizures: These types of seizures involve the entire brain.
Generalized Tonic Clonic Seizures-Most common and best known. It begins with the person exhaling all of the air from their lungs(Can be a sigh, an yawn, a scream, etc.) The person may fall (if they are standing), their limbs stiffen, and they begin to jerk.
Myoclonic Seizures-Often mistaken for clumsiness. It is usually as simple as the hand or foot jerking.
Atonic Seizures-The person usually will just collapse due to complete loss of muscle tone.
Absence Seizures-(Also called Petit Mal Seizures.) The person looses awareness, and may seem like they are just staring off. These seizures usually begin and end quickly.
Partial Seizures: These types of seizures only involve part of the brain.
"Virtually any movement, sensory, or emotional symptom can occur as part of a partial seizure, including complex visual or auditory hallucinations."
Simple Partial Seizures-The person will remain conscious.
Complex Partial Seizures-The person will loose consciousness.
What needs to be done if someone has a seizure?
There is an old belief that you are supposed to stick something in a seizing person's mouth to keep them from swallowing their tongue. Not true. It is physically impossible to swallow your tongue. When you get a chance, go look in the mirror at the under-side of your tongue. See that little thing connecting your tongue to the bottom of your mouth? That's called the lingual frenulum. Having that there makes it totally impossible to swallow your tongue. Putting something in their mouth make actually choke them faster than their own tongue will.
But, it is possible that the tongue may get in the way during a seizure. That's what the Recovery Position is for, but I'll talk about that in a minute.
During a seizure, don't hold the person down or try to move them. Just move anything away from them that they might hurt themselves on (Chairs, sharp objects, etc.), and "let them do their thing," as my aunt says.
A Generalized Seizure should never last over five minutes. If it does, 911 should be called.
Now, about the Recovery Position. After the seizure ends, simply roll the person onto their side, to help their breathing. Be friendly and reassuring with the person as they begin to regain consciousness. They will likely be confused at first.
Offer to call one of their family members for them if they seem too confused or unstable to get home.
The color Pink is used for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What color is for Epilepsy Awareness Month?
The color for Epilepsy Awareness Month is Purple!
Please help inform others about Epilepsy, because 1 in 26 people will develop Epilepsy in their lifetime.
All credit goes to the Epilepsy Foundation for the information used!
