The Care of Seizure Patients Many people who have had a seizure disorders can have an ordinary life while others may need the help of an aide. In an article by the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan, they state, “Living with epilepsy is often associated with fear: fear of having a seizure in public, fear of injury, fear of losing one’s job, fear of dying, and many other legitimate fears.” With the help of an aide, the patient may be able to overcome some fears associated with the seizure disorder. There is a process of taking care of someone with a seizure disorder, which can improve their quality of life and provide them with the support they need. The first step in taking care of a person with a seizure disorder is to identify the type …show more content…
The Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut states, “Seizure drugs could effectively be withdrawn in 24-60% of patients with epilepsy who are seizure free for a minimum of 2 years.” Taking their pills at a specific time each day is essential to their health because it can help them have a better life and be seizure free. Next, it is important for the caregiver to protect the patient from injury during a seizure episode. This protection will help to ensure that the person having the seizure will fall and be guided gently to the floor. It is essential to move anything that might cause further injury to the person during the seizure. If the patient is already on the floor, do not try to hold the person down or move the person because that can cause further injuries. Turning the patient on their side during a seizure will help keep their airway clear of any fluids that they may produce during the seizure. After a seizure episode, the aide will check to see if the person has any injuries or if the person is having trouble breathing. If there is an obstruction in the airway they can use their fingers to clear the mouth of vomit or saliva. It is possible that the person may be sleepy or confused about where they are once they come out of the seizure, but the caretaker will need to stay with the
When many people think of epilepsy they think of someone falling on the ground shaking and jerking uncontrollably and the thought makes them uncomfortable. Some believe bystanders should put a wooden spoon in the mouth of the one having a seizure and hold them down. These are both misconceptions. Most people think that epilepsy and seizures are the same, this information is also incorrect. Epilepsy is an often misinterpreted disorder. To better understand the disorder and the lives of people with Ep more information and education is needed.
When I was just seven-years old, I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I’d been having small and frequent seizures my entire life without ever knowing of it until one day when I was shelling walnuts in front of the fireplace. Everything I ever knew was being stripped away from me. I no longer had control over any of the muscles in my body, my ability to speak, my actions, nor my sight. All I could do was relax and wait for my brain to catch up and regain control over my body. My life has been changed by epilepsy, but I will never let it control my life.
Seizure is an abnormal electrical activity in a person's brain, seizures can occur on a daily basis. Others have them once every couple of months and many may have them every now and then or never if treated with medication. There are many types of seizure, for some seizures a person may become very stiff leading them to pass out and their whole body shakes, full body-seizures can reduce breathing, bite their tongues causing them to bleed,
Epilepsy can happen to anyone of any age. The largest(47%) percent of people, developing epilepsy for the first time, being children from birth to nine years of age. The next largest age group would be ten year olds to ninteen year olds at 30%. The least amount of first time seizures comes from the forty plus age group. (According to EFA publications) Over 2.5 million people suffer from epilepsy. The international league against epilepsy describes a seizure as an alternative term for "epileptic attack". Seizures vary in there length and severity. A "tonic-clonic" seizure can last for one to seven minutes. " Absence seizures usually last for a few seconds. However, complex partial seizure" may last for thirty seconds or two
Epilepsy is not what you think. It is a complicated disease, a disease that doesn't just affect one type of person or age. Over fifty million men, women, and children cope with this disease daily. Epilepsy is a mysterious disease to those who are unfamiliar and uneducated about the disease. Many people have preconceived notions about Epileptics. Researching the topic thoroughly, the five preconceived notions I explored have been proven to be false.
What caused her to have a seizure? Will she have another one? Is this going to affect her schooling and the life that she will live? What can we do to prevent her from having more? These were all questions that arose in the minds of my family members and I. Months went on with doctors trying to figure out how
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person has repetitive seizures that is uncontrollable brain activity and leads to change in behavior. In the novel, Epileptic, by David B, Jean-Christophe has the disease, epilepsy and his family has to constantly give him the attention he needs. His brother, Pierre-François, sees his brother acting abnormal which leads him to act violent and weird. It seems as if he is missing out on his childhood due to his brother holding him back and constantly needing assistance. Only being able to do so much, his disease is only getting worse and is almost to a point where it cannot be controlled anymore.
Seizure disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic (2015), affect approximately 1 in 26 people in the United States. Persistent, or chronic, seizures result from a condition called epilepsy, a neurological disorder of the central nervous system. It can affect anyone regardless of age, but is more common during early childhood and after age 60. Given the number of people that seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, affect, it becomes helpful to gain a foundational understanding of the disease, including some of the causes, symptoms, and treatments available.
Texas- If someone has epilepsy, the person must be under the care of a physician, including taking medication to control the seizures. The person must also be seizure-free for at least three months. When obtaining a driver’s license, those with epilepsy will have a “P” restriction placed upon their license. In Texas, if they have been seizure-free without the use of anti-seizure medications for at least 5 years, those suffering from epilepsy can even obtain a class A or B license or have restrictions removed from their class C
Epilepsy, also called seizure disorder, chronic brain disorder that briefly interrupts the normal electrical activity of the brain to cause seizures, characterized by a variety of symptoms including uncontrolled movements of the body, disorientation or confusion, sudden fear, or loss of consciousness. Epilepsy may result from a head injury, stroke, brain tumor, lead poisoning, genetic conditions, or severe infections like meningitis or encephalitis. In over 70 percent of cases no cause for epilepsy were identified. About 1 percent of the world population, or over 2 million people, are diagnosed with epilepsy.
In the article “Epilepsy: Diagnosis and Management” by Dr. Marcelo Lancman, he provides evidence about the categories, focal points of epilepsy and the importance of proper and critical diagnosis and characteristics of seizures. Overtime, information about the different types of epilepsy were categorized based on the motor development and movements during an episode or the alteration in senses such as smell, hearing, sight and hallucinations. This could potentially affect the thought processing, emotion and memory center of the brain. The most sufficient testing used today to diagnosis a patient with true epilepsy or “non-epileptic events” is through an electroencephalogram (EEG) and Video EEG Monitoring. These activities determine the brain waves and the spike in certain waves creating the focal point for the seizure during the duration of a short or long period of time depending on when the seizure takes place. Furthermore, finding the cause is potentially the most important part of this study for example Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) testing to analyze a highly detailed picture of
Epilepsy Research Paper People most often associate violent twitching, falling to the floor and drooling with epilepsy. However the described event is only one kind of an epileptic seizure, which is called a tonic-clonic seizure. There are many other kinds of seizures, and each has different sets of signs and symptoms. During generalized seizures the whole brain is affected and the initial symptom is loss of consciousness. This category includes such seizures as absence seizure, myoclonic seizure, and atonic attack.
The main common causes of epilepsy are shown as a genetic form, it can vary by age, and can be also caused by infectious disorders (Schachter et al., 2014). These seizures can occur on as young as a newborn, which would include trauma at birth, infection, prematurity and anoxia (Golden et al., 1983) . This age factor also includes older adults as old as the age of 65 and over which are triggered by strokes, Alzheimer's disease and trauma. Other factors that are also considered the main causes include toxic factors such as poisoning with carbon monoxide, lead, mercury, alcohol, allergies and other toxic conditions (Golden et al., 1983) . There are factors including metabolic and nutritional disruptions, tumors, and inherited and degenerative diseases(Golden et al., 1983). It is known that epilepsy is difficult to diagnose abruptly. This disorder cannot be diagnosed until more than one seizure takes place (NHS, 2014). Once a person is diagnosed with epilepsy, they are referred to a neurologist. Environmental factors can also take place in diagnosing. The EEG, short for electroencephalogram, is utilized while diagnosing patients. Other tests are also used to help diagnose such as the MRI. Neuropsychological tests cannot detect epilepsy but can be used to determine if there are any cognitive deficits or changes in a personality that may be associated to epilepsy(Golden et al., 1983). There are a number of behavior and mood disorders that are associated with epilepsy. It is common for individuals who have epilepsy that encounter behavior alterations and changes in their emotions. While epilepsy has been observed over many years, it has been discovered that mood and behavior changes have resulted by cause of the seizures. The most common mood disorders that are known to be related to epilepsy are major depression, dysthymia, and anxiety (Schachter et al., 2014). Emotion and behavior changes are known to
Epilepsy is a condition in which a person has two or more seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. Epilepsy is one of the oldest conditions of the human race. Epilepsy Awareness is important because Epilepsy is a widely misunderstood disorder. The reason that Epilepsy has been misunderstood has been mainly due to research not being conducted until the middle of the nineteenth century. There are six main types of seizures and many treatments that can assist an epileptic patient. Many facts and myths exist about a person who has Epilepsy, which, is why it is an important disorder to understand. A person living with Epilepsy can typically have a normal life after seeking medical advice from doctors.
When the seizure stops, my little girl is left worn out and loopy. Instead of giving in to her exhaustion, Alexis usually gets up and goes back to doing whatever it was she was doing before the seizure began. It is through her resilience, or her ability to get back up and keep fighting, I learned what being strong is all about. Now when I get a cold or some other illness, I do not whine or complain much. Instead, I think about her struggles and how she continues to smile through all her pain and discomfort, and I carry on. My daughter’s tenacity encourages me to be a better person.