Seizures are one of the most common neurologic disorders, and, in some cases, can become dangerous for any human to have. This disorder affects over 2.7 million people in the United States. Every year 200,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy: a medical condition that causes repeated seizures. An opportune understanding of seizures is the first step toward managing this disease and living life to the fullest. (7.) “Seizure” is a general term that refers to a sudden malfunction in the brain. The brain controls how the body moves by sending out small electrical signals through the nerves to the muscles. Seizures occur when abnormal signals from the brain change the way the body functions that causes temporary disturbance of normal brain function, often with a loss of consciousness. (1.) (2.) There are many simple ways to prevent seizures. Since the brain causes seizures, the best way to prevent seizures is by protecting your head and brain. The primary goal of epilepsy therapy is to prevent seizures as much as possible and minimize the side effects. (3.) There are two main groups in which seizures are classified in: primary generalized seizures and partial seizures. The type of seizure that occurs often depends on which parts of the brain are affected, and what happens during the seizure. Generalized seizures involve both sides of the brain. When both sides of the brain neurologically malfunction, there is loss of consciousness and a postictal state after the seizure occurs. Types of generalized seizures include absence, atonic, tonic-clonic, and myoclonic seizures.
Absence seizures generally last just a few seconds and are characterized by a blank or absent stare. Absence seizures are most common in children and typically don't cause any long-term problems. Absence seizures usually occur when a child is between the ages of 4 to 12 years. Many of these victims may have 10, 50, or even 100 absence seizures in a given day most of the time happening so subtly and quickly that no one will even notice. (5.) With atonic seizures, there is a sudden loss of muscle tone. This results in the person falling from a standing position or dropping his/her head. During this particular seizure, the person can start to limp and become unresponsive as well. (6.) The most common way that people think of a seizure is when the whole body flexes, stretches out, and shakes followed by a muscle spasm. This type of seizure is known as the generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Common side affects of this seizure are headaches, blurry vision, slurred speech, body aches, and the victim can become sleepy. (6.) Another type of a generalized seizure, the myoclonic seizure, are brief seizures that last no more than a second or two with shock-like jerks of a muscle or a group of muscles. Surprisingly, during this seizure, the person usually is awake and able to think clearly. The actions that occur while this seizure happens are similar to the generalized tonic-clonic seizure. There is usually just one, but sometimes man can occur within a short period of time since each episode is so brief. (8.) Infants can also be affected with this disorder. In fact, there is even a certain seizure that can attack an infant six months of age or younger. The longest time the “infantile spasm” can occur is when the infant is awakening or going to sleep. During this time, the infant usually has brief periods of movement of the neck, bottom, or legs that lasts no longer than a few seconds. Although these seizures seem brief, infants may have hundreds of these seizures a day and can create long-term complications. (6.) In some children, fevers can trigger seizures. A febrile seizure usually occurs during the first few hours of a fever. Although this seizure is not common, harmless, and only occurs in 2% to 5% of all children between the ages of six months and five years, it can last up to fifteen minutes in some cases. Within these fifteen minutes, the child will become