What is Epilepsy?

Historically, Epilepsy has been neglected, feared and misunderstood. A veil of secrecy surrounding the Disorder has resulted in myths, superstitions and a general lack of knowledge. This has impeded scientific progress towards finding answers to one of the oldest known effort and most prevalent neurological Diseases, leaving treatment and research effort in the dark ages. It is estimated that about 80% of patients with Epilepsy do not have complete control or only experience seizures control at the cost of debilitating effects from medications. The need for cure is clear.

Many of the patients are children who can experience up to 20 seizures a day. The impact on the developing brain ranges from learning disabilities to retardation and in a disturbingly large number of patients. There is an increasingly large incidence of new onset Epilepsy in the aging population as a result of stroke, brain tumours, Alzheimer's Disease. In addition, for many soldiers suffering traumatic brain injury on the battlefield, Epilepsy will be a long term consequence.

What Causes Epilepsy?

Epilepsy, the Experts say may develop because an abnormality in the brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signalling chemicals (neurotransmitters) or a combination of these factors.

Causes of Epilepsy may include complications during child birth, no wonder epilepsy is very common in rural areas where there is no maternity hospitals, Parasite infections such as pork tapeworm, people are advice to cook their meal well, Head injuries, Brain tumours, Lead poisoning, certain genetic diseases and some infectious diseases. However, in more than half the patients with Epilepsy, the cause is unknown. Causes of Epilepsy Includes;

Congenital at Birth

Congenital at Birth

Stressful and prolonged labour

Stressful and prolonged labour

Baby born with Cord around the neck

Baby born with Cord around the neck.

Episiotomy

Baby born with Cord around the neck.

Baby with a born with a veil

Baby with a born with a veil

Jaundice

A baby with Jaundice

Baby delivered by unskilled Nurses

Baby delivered by unskilled nurses

Bleeding during Pregnancy

Sporting and bleeding in pregnancy

Sporting and bleeding in pregnancy

Forceps delivery

Forceps delivery

Hard/bad fall in infants

Hard/bad fall in infants

Faculty Conception

Faculty Conception

Head injury

Head injury

Penetrating head injury

Brain Tumors

Brain Tumors; Bleeding (Hemorrhage) Or Blood Clots

Fall during pregnancy

Fall during pregnancy

Baby Delivering by local midwife,

Delivered by local midwife,

Road Accidents

Road Accidents

Metabolic imbalance-sugar too high in the blood

Metabolic imbalance-sugar too high in the blood

Stroke

Stroke

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of Epilepsy is repeated seizures that happens without Warning.

Without treatment, seizures may continue and become worst and more frequent over time and this could lead to multiple complications and in some cases death.

How is Epilepsy Diagnosed?

Diagnosing epilepsy can be hard. If you think that you or your child has had a seizure, your doctor will first try to figure out if it was a seizure or something else with similar symptoms. For example, a muscle tic or a migraine headache may look or feel like a kind of seizure.

Your doctor will ask lots of questions to find out what happened to you just before, during, and right after a seizure. Your doctor will also examine you and do some tests, such as an EEG. Family history, if there was birth issues, accident, long term illness, this information can help your doctor decide what kind of seizures you have and if you have epilepsy.

CT scan of the brain. A CT or CAT scan (computed tomography)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

How is it treated?

Medicine controls seizures in many people who have epilepsy. It may take time and careful, controlled changes by you and your doctor to find the right combination, schedule, and dosing of medicine to best manage your epilepsy.

The goal is to prevent seizures and cause as few side effects as possible. After you find a medicine that works for you, take it exactly as prescribed.

The best way to prevent more seizures is to keep the right amount of the medicine in your body. To do that, you need to take the medicine in the right dose and at the right times every day.

Epilepsy can make you feel like your world is constantly shifting beneath your feet. But the truth is epilepsy does not have to rule your life.

Even with the unpredictability of not knowing when a seizure will strike, there are resources that can help you and your loved ones navigate epilepsy.

How will epilepsy affect your life?

Epilepsy affects each person differently. Some people have only a few seizures. Other people get them more often. Usually seizures are harmless. But depending on where you are and what you are doing when you have a seizure, you could get hurt. Talk to your doctor about whether it is safe for you to drive or swim.

If you know what triggers a seizure, you may be able to avoid having one. Getting regular sleep and avoiding stress may help. If treatment controls your seizures, you have a good chance of living and working like everyone else. But seizures can happen even when you do everything you are supposed to do. If you continue to have seizures, help is available. Ask your doctor about what services are in your area.

For parents, it is normal to worry about what will happen to your child if he or she has a seizure. But it is also important to help your child live, play, and learn like other children. Talk to your child’s teachers and caregivers. Teach them what to do if your child has a seizure.

However a lot of remains to be done, we do not know how many people are not getting the help they need, help that is available, help that can be at no great cost. Estimates suggest that over four million persons are living with epilepsy in Nigeria. Where are these people? Over ten million Africans are suffering from different form of epilepsy many of them suffer in silent, and suffer alone. Beyond the suffering and absence of care lie the frontiers of stigma, shame, exclusion and more than we care to know death

Many people commend us every day, we say thank you but we want you to do more. Knowing about the people living with epilepsy is not enough, let us redefine our habits of giving. Let us give and learn not to ask of anything in return.

We want those living with Epilepsy to be of good cheers, manage yourselves well and do something that will bring positive impact to the society. When we started we were managing 17 persons but now we have affected over a thousand (1000) persons and we hope to do more. We however appeal to those living with epilepsy and their families to identify with this foundation.

Persons with Epilepsy can live normal lives

WHAT TO DO WHEN ONE IS HAVING A SEIZURE?

Due to the general attitude of the society against sufferers the following tips have been given in the event that an individual has a seizure.

WHAT TO DO Stay Calm

Protect from injury

Move surrounding objects away

Position on floor or soft surface in the left lateral position

Loosen any tight fittings away from the neck-Remove their glasses if any-As soon as possible turn the person to the side-Stay with the person until consciousness is fully regained-Be sensitive and supportive and ask other to do same

WHAT YOU MUST NOT DO.DO NOT PANIC

Do not restrain .

Do not put the feet in the fire or force object in-between the teeth

Do not rub pepper or onions into the eyes.

Do not give cow urine or alcohol to drink

Stay nearby and speak kindly to the child.

If the child is moving around, remove dangerous, sharp or hot objects from the area.

This great event is the Lord’s doing of which greater glory of Him shall be revealed today. We are here today, because we are well, therefore our profound gratitude goes to God Almighty for keeping us in good health, to our speakers for their support and initiative, our benefactors for their inspiration, to all our guests, friends, Christian and Muslim brothers, and sisters, and all those who have supported us financially, morally and in prayers.

I want in a special way say a big thank you to my Manager-Obehi Okpiabhele and other staff of A0ngie Epilepsy Foundation for their effort towards making today a dream come true, special thanks to my son Osaretin whose condition gave birth to Angie Epilepsy Foundation and my other children for their understanding.

Hear this; Angie Epilepsy Foundation needs your support to grow and to help the needy. Please continue to pass these words around and spread awareness. It is so exciting to think just how big we will keep growing every year with all of us working together.

Happy Purple Day

Thank You Once again