Epilepsy Foundation

Information on Children's Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes seizures. Seizures happen when some or all of the nerve cells in the brain start firing at the same time, or signal abnormally. Normal nerve cell activity is disturbed, and this causes emotions, physical...

How to Learn About Controlling Seizures

According to Medline Plus, seizures are symptoms of a neurological problem. Seizures often occur suddenly, when abnormal electrical activity takes place in the brain. This activity can produce mild symptoms, such a staring or vision problems, but...

Causes of Epilepsy in Children

Epilepsy, a condition characterized by repeated seizures,, typically first appears in childhood, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. Seizures occur when electrical impulses in the brain behave abnormally, overwhelming the brain with electrical...

Types of Non-Epileptic Seizures

Non-epileptic seizures, unlike epileptic seizures, are not caused by abnormal electrical activity in the cerebral cortex. Formerly called pseudoseizures, professionals prefer the term "non-epileptic seizures," as the patients view themselves as...

Epilepsy Information About Children

Epilepsy refers to a disorder of the electrical signals in the brain that lead to seizures. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, epilepsy affects about 300,000 children under the age of 14 in the United States.

Atonic Seizure Symptoms

The Epilepsy Foundation describes epilepsy as abnormal hyperactivity of the brain's electrical functioning. Epilepsy has no known cause in 60 to 75 percent of all cases. Where causes can be identified, reasons may include injury to the fetus,...

VNS for Partial Epilepsy in Children

VNS refers to vagus nerve stimulation therapy used to treat partial epilepsy (a condition where disorganized electrical activity occurs on one side of the brain) in children.

What Is Benign Epilepsy?

Epilepsy, a brain disorder in which nerve cells send out abnormal electrical signals, has many forms that are classified according to the typical seizure symptoms. Benign rolandic epilepsy, also known as benign partial epilepsy of childhood or...

How to Deal With Seizures in Older Children

Epilepsy is a condition that affects the way in which the neurons of the brain work. It causes an interruption in the signals sent by the neurons; this abnormal signal results in a seizure. The Epilepsy Foundation estimates that 45,000 children,...

What Causes a Seizure in a Newborn?

Epilepsy.com reports that seizures in newborns are very different from seizures in older babies because a newborn's brain is still developing. Many different problems can cause seizures to begin and can cause symptoms such as jerking motions,...

About Atonic Seizure Disorder

The Epilepsy Foundation points out that every year, 300,000 people have their first seizure. In a seizure, electrical activity in the brain becomes disrupted, resulting in physical or behavioral changes. One type of seizure is an atonic seizure,...

Ketogenic Meal Plans

If you're looking to lose weight or help manage epilepsy, consider following a ketogenic diet. A ketogenic diet involves eating a low-carbohydrate diet that forces the body to burn ketones instead of glucose. In some cases, a ketogenic diet may...

Epilepsy Food Triggers

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder, a neurological condition. A seizure is an electrical surge that affects brain activity. You might experience violent convulsions as part of a seizure, or you might stare blankly for a period of time or become...

Side Effects of Untreated Seizures

Seizures happen when the brain generates erroneous electrical signals. About one in 100 people will have a seizure over the course of a lifetime, and a single seizure does not mean a person has epilepsy, according to MayoClinic.com, which adds...

A Meal Plan for a Ketogenic Diet

A ketogenic diet is sometimes recommended for patients with epilepsy. If you have epilepsy and have a poor tolerance of your anti-seizure medication or inadequate seizure control, you may need to follow a ketogenic diet. Bodybuilders may also...

Brain Diseases in Children

The brain is a complex system of cells, which work together to transmit signals to the body. The brain is made up of cells called neurons, which signal to one another, as well as other cells that support the neurons. Brain diseases in children can...

How Can Parents Monitor Nocturnal Epileptic Spasms?

Children's epileptic seizures and spasms can be highly unpredictable. During the day, this may be an inconvenience. At night, however, the possibility of a child experiencing nocturnal epileptic spasms may affect Mom and Dad's sleep. Nocturnal...

Causes of Seizure Disorders

Seizures are caused by a malfunction in the brain. As described by the National Institutes of Health, neurons, or nerve cells, become impaired in a particular area of the brain (causing partial seizures) or throughout both the right and left...

How Do Seizures Start?

Neurons are the cells within the brain that are responsible for generating and passing along the signals that control cognition as well as the body's functions. Neurons are interconnected through junctures called synapses, which allow neurons to...

Medical Causes of Seizures

A seizure is a symptom of an abnormal brain function. Seizures are divided into several classifications, which include grand mal, petit mal and partial. Common symptoms include a loss of consciousness, changes in emotion, changes in vision and...

Effects of Pregnancy With Epilepsy

Recommendations for pregnant women with epilepsy have changed considerably over the past few decades. Once discouraged from getting pregnant at all, women with epilepsy now have a 90 percent chance of having a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby,...

Ketogenic Diet & Cholesterol

A ketogenic diet is an eating program designed to diminish the frequency of seizures in children with epilepsy. Typically, children on this type of diet eat mostly fat and strictly limit their intake of carbohydrates. Eating a ketogenic diet can...

Diet & Exercise for the Treatment of Seizures

Seizures, a common brain problem, happen because of sudden and abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Most seizures last from 30 seconds to two minutes and have a wide variety of possible symptoms, according to the National Institute of...

What Causes Breakthrough Seizures?

The Epilepsy Foundation defines a breakthrough seizure as a bout of seizure activity a patient with epilepsy experiences when on a stable regimen of anti-epileptic drugs. While the patient may have control over her seizures a majority of the time,...

Causes of an Epileptic Seizure

The International League Against Epilepsy and the International Bureau for Epilepsy describe epileptic seizures as the evident symptomology of abnormal and overactive brain activity. The Epilepsy Foundation states that the cause of 70 percent of...

How to Manage Seizures in Children

Imagine that your child is sitting on the couch watching television. Suddenly his entire body starts shaking and you are frightened as to what is occurring. Your child may be experiencing a seizure. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, a seizure...

Epilepsy Medications for Infants

Seizure activity in infants may be indicative of underlying conditions. Treatment varies according to the type of seizure and the underlying causes. The University of Maryland Medicine lists possible causes as congenital defects, fever, trauma...

Anti-Convulsants That Target Specific Seizures

Epilepsy is a disruption of the brain's electrical impulses causing seizures. MayoClinic.com states one in every 100 Americans may experience a seizure once during a lifetime. It cautions that this does not constitute epilepsy. Two unprovoked...