Epilepsy & seizure Flashcards
what is epilepsy and seizure disorder
- Abnormal movements or behaviour due to unusual electrical activity in the brain
- Create episodes of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that result in seizures
do all people with seizure disorder get exposed to epilepsy
no
seizure vs epilepsy
- Epilepsy is having multiple unprovoked seizures (two or more likely)
- A seizure is different from epilepsy because its a single
occurrence
4 questions doctors want to answer when diagnosing
1) Was the seizure caused by a treatable, short term
problem?
2) Was it caused by a previous problem in the brain?
3) Is there a structural abnormality causing seizures?
4) Was the seizure a one time occurrence or epilepsy?
how to diagnose
- EEG Test: sensors placed on scalp to record electrical
activity - PET scan: used to locate where seizures are occuring in the brain
- CT scan & MRI: reveal any structure abnormalities
- SPECT: detects area of the brain generating the seizures
- Blood test: check for infection/disease, blood count
- Evaluate medical history
- Conduct physical evaluation
symptoms of seizures
● Temporary confusion
● A staring spell
● Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs
● Lip Smacking
● Loss of consciousness or awareness
● Psychic symptoms such as fear, anxiety or deja vu
seizure triggers
● Sleep deprivation ● Flashing bright lights or patterns ● Alcohol or drug abuse ● Stress ● Missed medicines ● Not eating well, low blood sugar ● Fevers ● Menstrual cycle (women) ● Exercise (sometimes)
treatments
- Anti-epileptic drugs (AED’s)
- Epilepsy Surgery
- Exercise
what 5 things do treatment depend on
- Frequency of Seizure
- Severity
- Persons age, overall health and medical history
AED stands for
Anti-epileptic Drugs (AED’S)
AED’s
- Help control seizures in 70% of people with epilepsy
- Doctors start with a low dose and increase it until the
seizures decrease or stop - Disadvantage are the side effects that occur when taking
AED’s
what is the most common treatment for epilepsy
Anti-epileptic Drugs (AED’S)
epilepsy surgery
- Only used if AED’s are not effective or controlling the
seizures - Tests could show that the seizures are caused by a small
part of your brain that could be removed - 70% of people who get epilepsy surgery become seizure free
types of epilepsy surgery
- Resective
- Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy
- Deep Brain Stimulation
how to exercise effect epilepsy
- Helps improve seizure control
- Improvement of physical and mental
health parameters - Reduces stress that helps decrease
the amount of seizures - Exercise could be a trigger but it
is extremely rare
PA for epilepsy
● Full Participation!
● Take medication prior to activity
● Know triggers which may cause individual to have seizure
● Try to avoid contact sports or activities that may result
in a blow to the head (Trauma to the head may trigger a
seizure in people with epilepsy)
● If playing contact sports ensure proper safety gear is
worn
● PA should be done in partners or in a group
● Swim in clear water
● Wear a life jacket if swimming in open waters such as a lake
7 steps when someone is having a seizure
- Remain calm
- Loosen clothing and give head support
- Remember that person may or may not be able to hear you
- Stay with the person
- Time the seizure
- Move objects out of the way
- Do not put anything in the person’s mouth
steps after a seizure
● Roll them onto their side
● Comfort the individual
● Help them relax and feel at ease
● Allow them to rest or sleep if necessary
absence or petit-mal seizures
-less severe
● You seem disconnected from others around you and don’t
respond to them. You might stare blankly into space, and
your eyes might roll back in your head. Petit-mal’s
usually only last only a few seconds, and you may not
remember having one.
grand-mal seizures
● Grand-Mal Seizure is what people think of when they think
of seizures
● It includes causes a loss of consciousness and violent
muscle contractions
severity-chalfont seizure severity scale
● A subjective severity scale ● Measures the components of seizures that cause patients the most disturbance ● Created with patients ● Greater the #, greater the severity of seizure. ● Features include: ● Loss of awareness… no = 0, yes = 1 ● Injury… no = 0, yes = 20
range of severity for seizures
● Most seizures last 30 seconds to two minutes.
● If a seizure lasts longer than five minutes, if the person
does not gain consciousness between their seizures, if an
injury may have occurred seizure occurs in water, or if the
seizure is irregular for that person - Medical assistance
should be contacted.
when is seizure an emergency
Any seizure that lasts longer than five minutes is a medical emergency.
seizures are subjective
-someone having a seizure for the first time may
experience greater difficulty than someone who has had
seizures before.
● Seizures are not necessarily “major” or “minor” and a
short seizure (30 s.) can be more intense than a long
seizure (2 m.), and vice versa.
range of severity seizure vs epilepsy
- A seizure is a single occurrence
Ex: Seizure as a result of alcohol withdrawal - Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by two or more unprovoked seizures.
how should a seizure be controlled
● A controlled environment during a seizure would mean
having someone observing, timing the seizure, and being
on proper medication, to ensure that seizures are not
fatal or incur injury.
incidence
- One of the most common neurological diseases globally
- 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy
- 5 million people diagnosed each year
- If properly diagnosed and treated, 70% of people live
seizure free - SUDEP: Sudden Unexpected Death by Epilepsy
- 1/1000 die each year
teaching and coaching considerations
● Parent and teacher relationship important
● Computers and lights ex. Fast moving and flashing images
● Exam and test stress
● Understand the signs, symptoms and how to take action
● Peers should also be knowledgeable
● Understand the individual
