About Epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common disorders of the nervous system.

• It affects people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds.
• More than 3 million Americans of all ages are living with epilepsy.
• Every year, 200,000 Americans will develop seizures and epilepsy for the first time.
• Epilepsy can develop at any time of life, especially in early childhood and old age.
• Epilepsy is a neurological condition that makes people susceptible to seizures. A seizure is a change in sensation, awareness, or behavior brought about by a brief electrical disturbance in the brain.

Seizures vary from a momentary disruption of the senses, to short periods of unconsciousness or staring spells, to convulsions. Some people have just one type of seizure. Others have more than one type.

Although they look different, all seizures are caused by the same thing: a sudden change in how the cells of the brain send electrical signals to each other.

If you have epilepsy, you probably already know that it's not a mental disorder. It can be caused by anything that affects the brain, including tumors and strokes. Sometimes epilepsy is inherited. Often, no cause can be found.

Epilepsy is generally not the kind of condition that gets worse with time. Most adults who have it can expect to live a normal life span.

Doctors treat epilepsy primarily with seizure-preventing medicines. Although seizure medications are not a cure, they control seizures in the majority of people with epilepsy.

Surgery, diet (primarily in children), or electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, a large nerve leading into the brain, may be options if medications fail to control seizures. Several drugs (called antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drugs) are prescribed to prevent seizures. Many factors are involved in choosing the right seizure drug. The goal of treatment is to stop seizures without side effects from the medicines.

Why am I walking you may be asking? That is a great question! Because my eldest son Kyle has Epilepsy. After being strangled by his umbilical cord for 36 hours Kyle was born having a seizure, the strangulation cause Kyle to have 3 brain hemorrhages which in turned caused Kyle's seizures. We have been on an array of medications and we are still looking for the right one! Our next step is to try the Ketogenic Diet .

This is a battle that we fight every day with Kyle and one we are not willing to give up on, so please if you are willing to donate please click here to be taken to our walk page. For more on Kyle's story please click here and for more on epilepsy please visit www.efa.org or please feel free to email me if you have specific questions.

Thank you all!!