Epilepsy in children
Watching your child
have their first seizure was probably one of the scariest moments of your life.
Finding out that your child has epilepsy could be different. The future can
suddenly feel daunting and uncertain for your child and your entire family. But
as you may already know, the news is not as bad as it sounds. Here are some
things to keep in mind if your child has a seizure:
- Most children who have a seizure don't have another one.
- Most children who have epilepsy -- which by definition means that they've had more than one seizure -- will outgrow the condition.
- Most children with epilepsy are perfectly healthy and normal in other ways.
- 70% to 80% of children with epilepsy can control the condition completely with medication.
Experts point out
that there is no cure for epilepsy, and the treatment for seizures is to
control them. They also note that in children, drug-controlled seizures often
go away on their own.
This does not mean
that dealing with epilepsy is easy, and it will almost certainly change your
family. As a parent of a child with epilepsy, you will have new
responsibilities. Obviously, you need to make sure your child gets good medical
care, but that's not all.
You will need to make
sure your child is taking medication. You may also need to become your child's
advocate by explaining epilepsy to family, friends, and teachers who may not
understand or fear the condition.
So while raising a
child with epilepsy can sometimes be difficult, remember that treatment works
and a child with epilepsy should lead a fairly normal life with some
restrictions. Epilepsy is not as scary as it seems.
Defining epilepsy
Epilepsy is not a single
disease. Rather, it is a general term: a person with epilepsy has seizures, but
the cause and type of these seizures can be very different. As an analogy,
experts cite prostate cancer and breast cancer. Both are cancers, but the
causes, development, and treatment of these conditions differ. There are many
types of epilepsy that may require different types of treatment.
Similarly, the effects of epilepsy are much more complex than those of a health condition. Experts say treating epilepsy is more than just treating seizures. In epilepsy, psychological and cognitive effects, as well as the impact on the whole family, must be considered. But the first thing you and your doctor should do is stop the seizures, usually with medication. Fortunately, there are many effective drugs for epilepsy.