Epilepsy Facts

An Overview

• Epilepsy is a physical condition caused by sudden, brief changes in how the brain works. These physical changes are called seizures.
• More than two million people in the United States have epilepsy.
• Most people don't know why they have epilepsy.
• There is no know cause of epilepsy, however the greatest known cause is head injury followed by infections, tumors and strokes.
• Many diseases that affect the brain can cause epilepsy.
• Epilepsy affects people of all ages and races.
• There are over 20 different types of seizures.

Types of Seizures

Generalized Tonic Clonic (Grand Mal)

• Loss of consciousness, sudden cry, fall, rigidity, followed by muscle jerks
• Shallow breathing or temporarily suspended breathing
• Possible loss of bladder or bowel control
• Usually last a couple of minutes
• Normal breathing starts again
• There may be confusion and/or fatigue, followed by return to consciousness

Absence (Petit Mal)

• A blank stare with unresponsiveness, beginning and ending abruptly, usually lasting only about ten seconds
• Possible rapid blinking, some chewing movements of the mouth
• Child or adult is unaware of what's going on during the seizure, but quickly returns to full awareness once it has stopped

Simple Partial

• At the onset the patient is conscious, jerking or sensory changes may begin in one area of body, arm, leg or face
• Can't be stopped, but patient stays awake and aware
• Jerking may proceed from one area of the body to another
• Jerking sometimes spreads to become a convulsive seizure

Complex Partial (Psychomotor or Temporal Lobe)

• The person may have an aura which warns him or her that a seizure may occur soon
• During the seizure the person's awareness is impaired
• Usually starts with blank stare, followed by chewing, followed by random activity
• Person appears unaware of surroundings, may seem dazed and mumble
• May pick at clothing, pick up objects, try to take clothes off
• May run, appear afraid, struggle or flail at restraint
• Lasts a few minutes, but post-seizure confusion can last substantially longer
• Sometimes there is no memory of what happened during seizure

Atonic Seizures (Drop Attacks)

• A child or adult suddenly collapses and falls and may have injuries
• After 10 seconds to a minutes he recovers, regains consciousness, and can stand and walk again

Myoclonic Seizures

• Sudden brief, visible muscle jerks usually involving the arms or legs but may involve the whole body 
• May cause person to spill what they were holding or fall off of a chair

Infantile Spasms

• Clusters of quick, sudden movements that start between 3 months and 2 years
• If a child is sitting up, the head will fall forward, and the arms will flex forward
• If lying down, the knees will be drawn up, with arms and head flexed forward as if the baby is reaching for support