Author: Dr Nandita de Souza| February 10, 2021
Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition seen in childhood and is due to excessive electrical activity in the brain. It has been around for a long time, with earliest records coming from Babylon, dated as far back as 2000 BC. It was Hippocrates who first linked epilepsy to a brain disorder in 5 BC.
However, it was only around the 18th-19th centuries that this view began to be accepted. Till then, epilepsy was attributed to supernatural causes and even the ‘devil’, leading to it being viewed with scorn, shame and stigma. Though there has been great progress since those early dark ages, a significant amount of fear and stigma surrounds epilepsy even today.
Due to their paroxysmal and often dramatic nature, seizures can seem like the end of the world to parents who witness their child going through an episode. The fear of uncertainty, the effects on the brain and learning, the risk to life – all these factors add to the family’s worries.
However, there is hope!
Epilepsy is usually diagnosed if the child has two or more unprovoked seizures. It can affect anyone and the symptoms vary widely, depending on which part of the brain is affected. Treatment is closely linked to the age of onset, type of seizures and cause of epilepsy. There are several safe and effective medications available. These must be prescribed in the right dose, taken daily and continued till the child is seizure-free for a minimum of 2 years. In most children, seizures can be controlled with a single drug. However, some may require a combination of medications for adequate control. The child’s behaviour, development, learning and growth should be monitored closely.
Families must learn as much as they can to help their children. Information about epilepsy, its treatable nature, how to handle a seizure if it occurs and what activities are safe must be shared with the school. Together we can dispel the fear that surrounds epilepsy and foster hope and acceptance.
DR NANDITA DE SOUZA
Director and Paediatrician