Five things you might not know about epilepsy

The classic image of epilepsy is of someone falling to the ground and shaking uncontrollably — but that stereotype isn’t always accurate, particularly in kids. Children are usually diagnosed after two or more unprovoked seizures, or after a single seizure if there’s a high chance of further ones. Yet this isn’t a one-size-fits-all condition, and seizure activity can change over time as young brains develop. We asked Dr. Phillip Pearl, director of the Epilepsy Center at Boston Children’s Hospital to share some more surprising facts about this condition. Childhood epilepsy is on the rise. Epilepsy isn’t just for adults. In fact, children are one of the fastest-growing groups of Americans being diagnosed with the condition: It affects an estimated one percent of kids and is the third most common brain disorder. “Epileptic” is out. Just as the language surrounding other conditions has changed, experts now recommend using terminology that helps lift the stigma of epilepsy. Rather than referring to “epileptics,” they suggest “people with epilepsy.” Likewise, “anti-epileptic drugs” are now called “seizure medications” — simple wording changes that keep kids from being defined by their disease. Location matters. Doctors now largely classify seizures based on where they occur in the brain and the amount of awareness a patient has during the seizure. For example, focal seizures start on one side of the brain, while generalized seizures initially af...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Dr. Phillip Pearl epilepsy epilepsy center seizures Source Type: news