The spotlight falls on epilepsy between 16 and 24 June, National Epilepsy Week, and this year emphasis is being placed on removing the stigma which often accompanies the condition.
While any kind of medical condition can lead to discrimination, Clinix Health Group supports the sentiment that epilepsy, for some reason, still seems to draw the highest level of discrimination.
Bernadette Campbell, Group Nursing Service Manager at Clinix, says it’s very important to raise awareness about epilepsy to dispel the myths, social stigmas and discrimination attached to this condition.
“What epilepsy is, is one of the most common neurological disorders affecting one in every 100 persons in South Africa and one in every 200 worldwide. What epilepsy isn’t, is a disease, illness or psychiatric disorder – and it is definitely not contagious!”
The condition, she explains, is characterised by unusual electrical activity in the brain and shows itself in the form of seizures. The seizures are caused by a temporary change in the way the brain cells (neurons) work. The disorder affects people of both sexes and all races, all levels of intelligence and all social backgrounds.
Interestingly, in more than 50% of cases, the underlying cause of the epilepsy is unknown. This is called idiopathic epilepsy. In the rest of the cases, the underlying cause can be identified and this is called symptomatic epilepsy.
“With symptomatic epilepsy, there can be many underlying causes, for instance as a result of a head injury, lack of oxygen during birth, infections, strokes, tumours and even ageing. Most people are diagnosed with epilepsy before the age of 20, but the onset can be at any age. It’s been found that many children do outgrow it and are able then to live drug-free and seizure-free as adults,” Campbell says.
Ignorance
Campbell notes that a lot of people with epilepsy state that the actual seizures don’t impact negatively on their daily lives, despite the unpredictability of these.
“What does impact their lives however is the ignorance of society in general to the disorder. Unfortunately, most people don’t understand epilepsy and even fear the condition. As a result, they discriminate against people with epilepsy by, for example, not allowing them to partake in social events or pursue a career. A child’s self-esteem can be severely affected should they experience discrimination at school or amongst their friends because of epilepsy. It is also quite common for parents to find it difficult to accept the diagnosis of epilepsy in their child and to even go through a ‘grieving’ process.”
Clinix Health Group fully supports the National Epilepsy Week initiative to raise awareness about epilepsy as means of alleviating the discrimination burden experienced by people with the disorder.
“It’s so important to know that persons with epilepsy, whether adults or children, can live active and normal lives. Acceptance within a society which understands epilepsy greatly adds to their quality of life,” Campbell concludes.
How to help someone having a seizure
(Source: Epilepsy South Africa www.epilepsy.org.za)
Do…
- Time how long the seizure lasts.
- Place a cushion under the person’s head and protect their body from injury.
- Loosen any tight clothing and remove their glasses.
- Turn the person onto their left side, into the recovery position, and bend the head backwards to open the airways.
- Stay with them and reassure them until they have fully recovered.
- Call an ambulance if the person experiences a lack of oxygen or severe physical injuries, and if the seizure lasts longer than six minutes
Don’t…
- Move the person or pick them up unless they are in direct danger.
- Put anything in the person’s mouth, between their teeth or burn anything in front of their nose.
- Give them anything to eat or drink or any extra medication.
