• Epilepsy is a common serious neurological condition where there is a tendency to have seizures that start in the brain.

• Not all seizures are due to epilepsy. Seizures can happen for many different reasons, such as diabetes or a heart condition. Here, when we use the term 'seizure' we mean epileptic seizure.

• More than half a million people in the UK have epilepsy, which is around 1 in 100 people. Anyone can develop epilepsy: it happens in all ages, races and social classes. Epilepsy is most commonly diagnosed in children and people over 65. There are over 40 types of epilepsy, so just knowing that a person ‘has epilepsy’ does not tell you very much about their epilepsy and the type of seizures they have.

• Seizures are divided into two main types: focal seizures (also called partial seizures) and generalized seizures. Epileptic seizures always start in the brain.

• The brain has two sides called hemispheres. Each hemisphere has four parts called lobes. Each lobe is responsible for different things such as vision, speech and emotions.

• In focal seizures the seizure starts in, and affects, just part of the brain, sometimes called the 'focus' of the seizures. It might affect a large part of one hemisphere or just a small area in one of the lobes.

• What happens during the seizure depends on where in the brain the seizure happens and what that part of the brain normally does.

• In simple focal seizures (SFS) a small part of one of the lobes of the brain is affected. The person is conscious (aware and alert) and will usually know that something is happening and will remember the seizure afterwards.

• Some people find their simple focal seizures (SFS) hard to put into words. During the seizure they may feel ‘strange’ but not able to describe the feeling. This may be upsetting or frustrating for them.

• SFS are sometimes called ‘warnings’ or ‘auras’ because, for some people, a SFS develops into another type of seizure. Then the SFS is a warning that another seizure will happen

• Most seizures happen suddenly without warning, last a short time (a few seconds or minutes) and stop by themselves.

• Seizures can be different for each person. • Just knowing that someone has epilepsy does not tell you what their epilepsy is

like, or what seizures they have. • Calling seizures ‘major’ or ‘minor’ does not tell you what happens to the person

during the seizure. The names of seizures used on this page describe what happens during the seizure.

• Some people have more than one type of seizure, or their seizures may not fit clearly into the types described on this page. But even if someone's seizures are unique, they may follow the same pattern for that person.

• Not all seizures involve convulsions (jerking or shaking movements). Some people appear vacant, wander around or seem confused during a seizure.

• Some people have seizures when they are awake, called 'awake seizures'. Some people have seizures while they are asleep, called 'asleep seizures' (or ‘nocturnal seizures’).

• fever (these are called :febrile seizures)• genetic causes• head injury• infections of the brain and its coverings• lack of oxygen to the brain• hydrocephalus (excess water in the brain cavities)• disorders of brain development

It should be taken one tablet per

night

Your child should be take two

tablets per day morning and

evening

Your child should take two tablets per day morning

and evening

• Install a monitor in your child's bedroom in case you can hear when a seizure occurs.• Make sure your child sleeps in either a regular bed or a mattress on the floor, as opposed to a top bunk,

in case a seizure occurs when your child is in bed.• For children who have frequent and severe seizures in which they fall down, a helmet that fits well and

has a face guard can protect against head and facial injuries.• Avoid situations in which there will be flashing or strobe lights -- which can occur in movies, videos, on

TV, and in dance clubs -- as they can induce seizures.• Make sure your child wears a life vest whenever he or she is near water, including a backyard pool.• Closely monitor showers and baths to prevent serious injuries from seizures, and make sure drains are

not clogged to prevent drowning.• Take extra precautions when your child will be around traffic (crossing streets) and in elevated

locations. It is safest to have someone who is capable of intervening accompany your child in those situations.

• Create an easy-to-follow list of what to do in case of a seizure and put it on the refrigerator or other accessible location. Go over this list with all babysitters and be sure to include contact information for you, another responsible adult, the doctor and 911. Send a copy of this list along with your child to any friends' homes, activities and sleepovers, and talk with adults in charge about what to expect and do if your child has a seizure.

• Try to find a middle ground between safety and overprotection. You may have to continually adjust your precautions based on your child's health and age.

• Let your child know that the seizures are a medical condition due to temporary activity in the brain and not anything to be ashamed of.

• Be aware that children with seizures are at increased risk of depression, low self-esteem and anger. Consider getting counselling for children if they appear less interested in friends, school or normal activities; or if they exhibit excessive anger, poor self-esteem or lack of self-control. Other more traditional symptoms of depression -- changes in sleeping or eating patterns -- may not actually indicate depression in people with epilepsy as extra sleep is important to forestall seizures, and the medications may make your child sleepy and hungry.

• Educate your child about epilepsy. The video "Take Charge of the Facts" features kids with epilepsy and a doctor discussing their conditions and how to handle seizures .

• Ask your doctor or your local epilepsy organizations if there are camps or support groups for children in the same age range. Meeting other kids with epilepsy can help your child feel less different and alone.

• The Epilepsy Foundation of America has an online forum where children can contact other children with epilepsy, share concerns and offer support.

• Focus on your child's strengths. Try not to make the epilepsy the main topic of interaction with your child. Do what you can to help your child build on her strengths by encouraging her to take a class or participate in a sport in which she excels.

• Parents of children whose epilepsy is controlled by medication have an easier time than those whose condition is not. These children can lead relatively ordinary lives, though they will require some extra monitoring. However, children with uncontrolled epilepsy need constant monitoring. Their epilepsy may interfere with their participation in ordinary activities, learning and socialization. Other children may be reluctant to get together with them due to fear of witnessing a seizure. Children in this category would especially benefit from a support group with others in similar situations, as would their parents. Contact your local Epilepsy Foundation for more information.

• It is common for parents and siblings of a child with epilepsy to experience anxiety, feelings of helplessness, or guilt in response to the child's seizures and seizure risk. Recognizing these emotions and finding positive ways to respond to the stresses that epilepsy may present can help family members create an atmosphere of hope and empowerment that can benefit everyone.

Many other feeling can surface other family members and they are:

Fear Helplessness Shame Embarrassment Jealousy Resentment Overprotection Depression Guilt

• learning the facts about the situation from the doctor or other resources, such as epilepsy.com. Becoming knowledgeable is especially important if the person with epilepsy has seizures that are difficult to control or also has problems with thinking or behaviour.

• In this kind of situation, family members need to discuss and air their feelings in a supportive, constructive, and nurturing environment. A family counsellor or psychologist may be helpful. Support groups can be great, too. You may be able to find one in your area that is just for parents of children with epilepsy, for example, or for their brothers and sisters.

• It is common for siblings of children with epilepsy to struggle with their own feelings of anxiety, guilt, and frustration. Not only do they observe their parents worrying about their brother or sister's seizures, they may also feel responsible and wonder if they somehow caused the seizures by thinking a hateful thought or making their sibling fall. It is also common for siblings to experience feelings of jealousy toward the child with epilepsy, who gets more attention from the parents.

• Parents must make a concerted effort not to overlook the other children in the family, especially if caring for the child with epilepsy is particularly demanding. If siblings are in the habit of hiding their feelings, then the parents may need to initiate discussions with them. By approaching discussions with sensitivity and honest expressions of care and concern for all of their children, parents can help to ensure that the siblings of a child with epilepsy grow up healthy and happy.

• Sibling groups can also provide much-needed support for the brothers and sisters of children with epilepsy. Sibling groups are typically facilitated by a counselor who understands family issues and dynamics with regard to epilepsy. These groups provide siblings with the opportunity to share and receive validation for their experiences and feelings about having a sibling with epilepsy, which often lessens their own feelings of isolation and shame.

• Mark 9:17-22• And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit

that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ...

• Old testament• Ezekiel was one of the prophets in the bible that had epilepsy

• Mathew4:24• So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with

various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.

• There Some activities, such as swimming ,height jumping, sky diving, paintballing or going out alone, may be more of a risk for people with epilepsy. People may also face specific risks because of their epilepsy, such as the risk of injury or accidents, as well as risks to their health or wellbeing.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woSrzes91PU&feature=relmfu

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5McQ2hSkGVE