EPILEPSY 101

Brainy School Kid With Glasses Reading A BookRise and Shine asked in their blog, “Did you know that epilepsy is the most common childhood brain disorder in the United States?”

To help you learn more about this condition, its symptoms, and its causes, they provided the following answers to some questions about epilepsy.

What is epilepsy?

Epilepsy, which is sometimes called a seizure disorder, is a disorder of the brain. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy when they have had two or more seizures.

What is a seizure?

A seizure is a short change in normal brain activity. Seizures are the main sign of epilepsy. Some seizures can look like staring spells. Other seizures cause a person to fall, shake, and lose awareness of what’s going on around them.

The brain consists of nerve cells that normally communicate with each other through electrical activity. A seizure occurs when part(s) of the brain receives a burst of abnormal electrical signals that temporarily interrupts normal electrical brain function.

How long do seizures usually last?

Usually, a seizure lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes. It depends on the type of seizure.

What are the major types of seizures?

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.

Seizures are classified into two groups:

  • Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain.
  • Focal seizures affect just one area of the brain. These seizures are also called partial seizures.

A person with epilepsy can have more than one kind of seizure. The type of seizure can help determine further workup and treatment options.

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