EPILEPSY

Cheryl Hurt

bchurt@earthlink.net

Thesis Writing 696 Mth

Epilepsy: Private School or Home School Educational Methods for Parents and Teachers

August 9, 2011

Summit Bible College

Epilepsy: Private School or Home School Educational Methods for Parents and Teachers

Epilepsy

Epilepsy has been defined as an uncontrolled neurological disturbance within the brain when neurons discharge electrical impulses. The uncontrolled disturbances of the brain have a pattern of re-occurring throughout the epileptic's life unless controlled by medical procedures and/or medication. Epilepsy may be caused by an event, condition or circumstance where the brain has been hit or bruised due to any accident or trauma. It may result in damage leading to abscesses, strokes, tumors, physical injury or any infection that may occur in the brain, such as meningitis.

Epilepsy can occur as a result of strong fear, head injuries, diseases of the mother during pregnancy. Because of the formation of brain tumors and vascular malformations of the brain, birth trauma, infections of the nervous system, poisoning, neurosurgical operations can be faced. A person undergoing a dreadful convulsion will fall to the floor unconscious and have alternate periods of muscular spasms and rigidity which may last two or three minutes at a time. They may not regain consciousness between convulsions and may remain in the state of intermittent convulsions for a period of hours and perhaps days if medical attention is not procured.

When consciousness returns the person will not be able to recall the event and may be quite fatigued. Petit mal means little sickness and may manifest its presence in several but definite types of seizures. During a seizure, a child may momentarily stop functioning and seem to be daydreaming. This is a form of petit mal seizure and will interfere with the child's ability to learn unless recognized and treated.

Current treatment methods of treating epilepsy

Treatment of epilepsy begins with its diagnosis. The basis of conventional treatment is medical care and anticonvulsant therapy. During anticonvulsant therapy, medications prescribed are known as” anticonvulsive”. Some of these include Oxcarbazepine, Ethosuximide, Valproic Acid, Clonazepam, Levetiracetam, and Rufinamide. In addition, ongoing research and invention has found the newest anticonvulsants “lacosamide”. This drug is being developed and will soon be available. The choice among anticonvulsants and their effectiveness differs by epilepsy syndrome.

In addition, there have been controversial treatments, such as electrical simulations, that may help some patients. Even food intake and eating patterns have been defined for epileptic patients. The patient should strictly comply with the instructions of the doctor, since the violation of the regime and reduction or increment of the dose of medication may stimulate the strongest attack of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy is not only by using drugs; there are other methods of treatment. One such method of treatment is surgical treatment. Modern equipment allows us to identify highly sensitive areas in the cerebral cortex, which provokes the occurrence of attacks. After determining the exact position of this area of the brain, the surgeon performs the procedure to destroy the nerve bundles, thereby eliminating the center of origin and development of ...