S teve was fourteen years old when he had his first seizure. He was in the garage, working on his car, when he lost consciousness. He fell to the ground and had a convulsion. Afterward, he didn't remember anything that had hap pened. His parents took him to the hospital, where several tests were done. All the test results were normal. “The doctors kept asking questions. I felt as if …
Bergman, Thomas.
A feeling or other sensation that some people with epilepsy have right before a seizure.
It is scary to learn that you have epilepsy. No one likes to have anything “wrong” with them—especially teens. There are many fears and misconceptions about epilepsy. Some people may believe certain myths about epilepsy: that it is a sign of mental illness or mental retardation, that it means you are possessed by evil spirits, or that it is contagious. None of these statements…
The brain is the body's computer. It takes in information, stores and retrieves it, and controls all the body's functions. The brain is a three-pound spongelike mass, with billions of neurons (in the form of brain cells) and blood vessels contained within it. The hard shell of the skull protects it. Each brain cell has a specific job and is located in a specific region of the brain. …
It is important to know as much about your epilepsy as possible. Make sure you know what type of seizures you have and whether they are caused by anything in particular. Things that may cause you to have a seizure are called triggers. There are many types of triggers. One common trigger is forgetting to take antiseizure medication. It can be hard to remember to take your medication at the same tim…
J im, sixteen, was sent to Mr. Oko in the guid ance office for being “disruptive” in class. Jim does not recall being disruptive in class. He remembers watching Ms. Wilson solve a problem on the chalkboard. The next thing he knew, he was being escorted out of the classroom. Ms. Wilson said that Jim started banging on his desk and walking around the room. When she told him to return t…
Medication is the most common treatment used to prevent and control seizures. There are many types of drugs available. They may be called different names: antiepileptic, anticonvulsant, or antiseizure drugs. We do not know how these drugs work in the brain, but they do work for most people. Currently about 80 to 85 percent of people with epilepsy can gain control of their seizures with the proper …
Epilepsy, as you have learned, is a condition in which people experience seizures that are not caused by a high fever or other illness. There are at least thirty different types of seizures that people with epilepsy can experience. Lydia is about to enter high school. There is so much to look forward to — new friends, new classes, clubs, football games, and maybe even dating. But there is a…