Health and Social Care Epilepsy – Quiz/Question/Fact Session
What is Epilepsy? Epilepsy is a brain disorder occurring when electrical signals in the brain are disrupted This change leads to a seizure which can cause changes in a person's: Body movements Awareness Emotions Senses, such as taste, smell, vision, or hearing
Question One Is epilepsy rare? ď Ź Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide and is the most common neurological condition ď Ź
Question Two Is epilepsy a psychological condition? Epilepsy is a medical condition Seizures are the result of an excessive and disorderly discharge of electrical energy in the brain
Question Three Is it a mental condition? Epilepsy is a functional, physical problem, not a mental one Its an umbrella term that describes about twenty different types of seizure disorders
Question Four Are people with epilepsy called ‘epileptics’? Persons with epilepsy are individuals who experience chronic, recurrent seizures and prefer being described as "persons with epilepsy“
Question Five Do you have to be born with epilepsy? ď Ź Epilepsy often first appears in children and young adults, although anyone can develop epilepsy at any time ď Ź
Question Six Is epilepsy is a lifelong disorder? Epilepsy is not necessarily a lifelong disorder Many persons with epilepsy will not have seizures or require medication all of their lives
Question Seven Can epilepsy be prevented? While no specific cause can be pinpointed in a majority of epilepsy cases, some causes (e.g. severe head injuries experienced in falling from a bicycle or sustained in an automobile accident) have been identified This is why helmet safety is important for children as a preventive measure
Question Eight Can epilepsy be cured? There is no known cure for epilepsy Modern treatment methods can achieve full control of seizures in a majority of cases Some children can outgrow the condition
Question Nine Is epilepsy a disease? Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by recurring seizures Epilepsy is not a disease and it does not signal emotional instability or lack of intelligence
Question Ten
Are all seizures the same? There are more than 20 forms of seizure disorders The intensity and duration of the seizure depends on how many and what type of brain cells are affected Seizures are not painful and range from convulsions to momentary lapses of attention People with mild seizures may even be unaware they’ve had one Seizures may occur minutes, days or years apart, depending on how well they are controlled by medication