Raising awareness for World Epilepsy Day
People who suffer from epilepsy should be treated with understanding and compassion to help ease their anxiety
AS the world celebrates World Epilepsy Day on February 12, we take a closer look at what epilepsy is. How is it diagnosed? What are the signs and symptoms of epilepsy? How does someone live with epilepsy? But, firstly let’s debunk the myths surrounding the condition: Epilepsy is not:
- a disease
- contagious
- mental illness
- a sign of low intelligence
What is epilepsy?
According to the Durban branch of the Epilepsy Foundation South Africa, epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system and occurs when the brain discharges too much electrical energy. The extra surge of energy may interrupt or alter one’s consciousness and cause seizures. The epilepsy foundation further says that these seizures may be convulsive or non-convulsive, depending on where in the brain they occur and how much of the brain is involved.
What causes epilepsy?
In the majority of cases, it is not known what caused the epilepsy condition. The most common type of epilepsy, which affects six out of 10 people with the disorder, is called idiopathic epilepsy and has no identifiable cause. But here are some possible causes:
- genetics
- head injuries
- brain infections
- developmental disorders
- metabolic disorders
Diagnosing epilepsy
The foundation says that epilepsy can be diagnosed at any age, but most often, it is diagnosed in childhood or the later years of life. Health workers look for symptoms such as muscle jerks, muscle stiffness, loss of bowel and bladder control, change in breathing and difficulty talking or understanding what is being said.
Good to know
Sometimes those who develop seizures during childhood outgrow their seizures, and more than half of those with epilepsy can have their symptoms controlled with seizure medication.
Living with epilepsy
According to the foundation, the stigma surrounding living with the condition has made it more difficult for the epilepsy community to accept living with it. They say that ignorance about the condition is what impacts relationships and sometimes hinders youth and children from being allowed to participate in sports and other activities. It is important for people to educate themselves on epilepsy so they may be more understanding of those who have it so they can ease the sufferers‘ anxiety and so those with epilepsy don’t end up self-isolating.
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