Epilepsy SierraLynn Johnson Maggie Trainor

Epilepsy Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person has repeated seizures (convulsions) over time. Seizures are episodes of disturbed brain activity that cause changes in attention or behavior.

Causes Stroke Dementia Traumatic brain injury Infections Brain tumor Brain injury during or near birth Metabolism disorders

Symptoms Staring spells Violent shaking Loss of alertness Tingling Smelling an odor that isn’t there Emotional changes 52 year-old woman with intractable seizures

Tests EEG: check electrical activity in the brain. For people with epilepsy it is often abnormal. *Can show the area of the brain where the seizure starts. Blood chemistry, blood sugar, complete blood count, kidney function, liver function, lumbar puncture (spinal tap), infectious diseases Head CT or MRI

Treatment Surgery (remove abnormal brain cells) or medication Anticonvulsants: medication to prevent seizures Control diet

Expectations Some people can stop taking medicine after years without seizures. Childhood epilepsy can improve and sometimes disappear in the teens and 20s. For many, epilepsy is life-long.