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What is Epilepsy? Epilepsy is a neurological disorder of the brain that affects one in 100 people. Three out of the four stages of epilepsy begin in the childhood. People who are affected with epilepsy go through what is called a seizure in which more than the usual amount of electrical energy travels through the brain. The part of the brain that is overloaded with the electrical energy tends to cause changes in body movement, consciousness, and behavior. Epilepsy is not a disease, and it is not contagious. It can be caused by a great deal of things such as head injury, auto accidents, severe illnesses, tumors, and other health. (Seizure Recognition & First Aid) What kinds of symptoms occur during an epileptic seizure? Many people might think they have epilepsy but only a physician can decide whether or not they do. There are many symptoms of epilepsy that can also be caused by another illness or untreated condition. But some of the symptoms that might occur include: periods of blackout or confused memory, episodes of a blank stare in children, brief periods of no response to questions, frequent jerking movements, and also a convulsion with or without fever. (Seizure Recognition & First Aid) How many different kinds of seizures are there and what do they look like? As of now there are seven different classifications of seizures. Every one has different features about it, and some are worse than others. The Grand Mal seizure is the worst of the seven and this is when the person has a sudden cry, falls down, rigidity, followed by muscle jerks or spasms, temporarily suspended breathing, and bluish skin. The Petit Mal seizure is when the person is in a deep stare beginning and ending abruptly and lasts only a few seconds. The child is unaware of what is going on in the seizure, but will return to full awareness once the seizure has ended.
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