Epilepsy Is Electric!
What Is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a medical condition that affects the brain. It causes a person to have recurring seizures, meaning two or more, over time.
![a brain with lightning bolts](images/brain-seizure-rev1x303.jpg)
What Is a Seizure?
A seizure happens when brain cells misfire and stop working the way they are supposed to, sending too many electrical signals at one time to your brain. You might think about it like an electrical storm. These uncontrolled electrical signals cause a change in awareness, movement, or sensation. You might hear it called a fit, spell, or convulsion.
What Do Seizures Look Like?
- There are more than 30 different types of seizures.
- A person with epilepsy can have more than one type of seizure.
- Sometimes it is hard to tell when a person is having a seizure. A person having a seizure may seem confused or look like they are staring at something that isn’t there.
- Other seizures can cause a person to fall, shake, and become unaware of what’s going on around them.
Facts About Epilepsy
- Epilepsy can occur at any age.
- Children, teens, and adults of all races and ethnic backgrounds can have epilepsy.
- Epilepsy is sometimes inherited.
- Epilepsy can be caused by anything that hurts the brain including head injuries, infections, and brain tumors.
- About 3 million people in the United States have epilepsy.
- Epilepsy is the fourth most common medical condition affecting the brain.
- Epilepsy currently affects more than 460,000 children younger than age 18 in the United States.
- Picture a school with 1,000 students—at least 6 students would have epilepsy.
- Most kids with epilepsy take medicine to prevent seizures and some use other kinds of treatment, like a special diet.
- Kids with epilepsy play sports, date, hang out, and want to be treated just like anybody else.
- Teens who have epilepsy, but do not have seizures can get a driver’s license.
Stigma and Bullying
Think Before You Speak…
![a student being bullied verbally by other students at school](images/Bullying-Full-Colorx250.jpg)
Don’t make fun of someone with epilepsy by imitating their seizures—you wouldn’t want someone imitating you. Remember, it’s a medical condition, just like asthma.
Sometimes epilepsy medicines can cause a person to feel sleepy, gain weight, or have bad acne. So that guy falling asleep in class might not be a total slacker— there might be something else going on.
Bullying
Having epilepsy is no different than any other medical problem, and people with epilepsy shouldn’t be treated any differently.
If you see anyone being bullied or teased because of their epilepsy, or any other reason:
- Tell an adult.
- Support your friend being bullied.
- Stand up to the person doing the bullying.
If You Are Being Bullied… ![expand](/TemplatePackage/3.0/images/plus12-reverse.png)
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ALWAYS
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DO NOT
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First Aid
We never know when we might need to provide support or first aid to someone having a seizure. Let’s learn what we should and should not do.
![student receiving first aid at school](images/first-aid-Full-Colorx250.jpg)
First Aid for Generalized Seizures
When most people think of a seizure, they think of a generalized seizure, also called a tonic clonic or grand mal seizure. In this type of seizure, the person may cry out, fall, shake, and become unaware of what’s going on around them.
Here are things you can do to help someone who is having this type of seizure:
- Stay calm.
- Ease the person to the floor.
- Turn the person gently onto one side to help them breathe.
- Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under his/her head.
- Remove eyeglasses.
- Loosen ties or anything around the neck that may make it hard to breathe.
- Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp to prevent injury.
- Time the seizure and call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
- Explain to others what is happening.
- Stay until the person is fully aware and offer help.
- Be a friend when the seizure is over.
Should I Call 911?
Call 911 if any of these things happen:
- The person is hurt during the seizure.
- The seizure happens in water.
- The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
- The person has another seizure soon after the first one.
- The person has a health condition like diabetes or is pregnant.
What Not to Do
There are a few things that you should never do while a person is having a seizure.
NEVER…
- X Put anything in the person’s mouth.
- X Hold down or restrain the person.
- X Try to give them medicine.
- X Leave the person on their back.
- X Tease someone who just had a seizure.
First Aid for Any Type of Seizure
Sometimes it is hard to tell when a person is having a seizure. A person having a seizure may seem confused or look like they are staring at something that isn’t there.
Here are things you can do to help someone who is having any type of seizure:
- Speak calmly.
- Move things out of the way and keep them away from streets, stairs, and furniture.
- Time the seizure and call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
- Explain to others what is happening.
Are Kids With Epilepsy Different?![expand](/TemplatePackage/3.0/images/plus12.png)
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People who have epilepsy may need to be careful in places where they could get hurt if they have a seizure, like a high place or in the bathtub. And they may not be able to do certain sports, such as boxing or scuba diving. But other than that, most people with epilepsy can live normal lives and do what everyone else does. They can go to school, attend college, and get jobs. They can get married and have children.
![a diverse group of school friends](images/Friends-Full-Colorx250.jpg)
However, if epilepsy doesn’t limit a person’s ability, it can make a kid feel different. So, if you know somebody who has it, you can help a lot just by being a good friend.
What do these famous people have in common? You guessed it, epilepsy!
- Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890)—Dutch painter
- Harriet Tubman (1822–1913)—Abolitionist, humanitarian, Civil War Union spy
- Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)—26th President of the United States, author, explorer, naturalist, soldier, Nobel Peace Prize recipient
- Neil Young (1945–)—Musician, singer-songwriter, producer, humanitarian
- Danny Glover (1947–)—Actor, activist
- Sir Elton John (1947–)—Singer-songwriter, composer, pianist
- Bobby Jones (1951–)—Former professional basketball player, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers
- Prince (1958–2016)—Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor
- Florence Griffith-Joyner, AKA: Flo-Jo (1959–1998)—Olympic track star
- Hugo Weaving (1960– )—Actor (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, The Matrix trilogy)
- Rick Harrison (1965–)—Businessman, reality TV personality (Pawn Stars)
- Adam Horovitz, AKA: Ad-Rock (1966–)—Musician, rapper, guitarist, producer, actor
- Dwayne Carter, Jr., AKA: Lil Wayne (1982–)—Singer-songwriter, rapper, record executive
- Jason Snelling (1983–)—Former professional football player, Atlanta Falcons
- Page last reviewed: August 3, 2017
- Page last updated: August 3, 2017
- Content source: