Slide Show Learn About Epilepsy

Q1: What is Epilepsy?	Q2: What causes Epilepsy?
Q3: What are the common treatments for Epilepsy?	Q4: Who is the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California?
Q5: What programs are offered by the Foundation?	Q6: How can I get involved?
Q7: Is Epilepsy common?	Q8: How many people are affected by Epilepsy?
Q9: How many children are affected by Epilepsy?	Q10: I am an adult, am I safe from Epilepsy?
Q11: Can you place a dollar figure on Epilepsy?	Q12: Can you die from Epilepsy?
Q13: How many people will be diagnosed in a year?	Q14: How effective is treatment for Epilepsy?
Q15: Is Epilepsy a new problem for society?	Q16: How can those of us who are “ok” help in understanding Epilepsy?
Epilepsy facts!	What Is A Poker Run?
All answers refer: (800) 632-3532 / efnca@epilepsynorcal.org / www.epilepsynorcal.org

Q1: What is Epilepsy? A1: Epilepsy is one of the major health problems of our nation. More than 3 million Americans have epilepsy, yet it remains one of our most misunderstood and unknown health conditions. Epilepsy is a term used to define a variety of seizure disorders. A seizure is a disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain. Twenty-five million Americans (one in every ten) have had, or will have, a seizure at some point in their lives. A person with recurring, unprovoked seizures is said to have epilepsy. Thirty percent of them are children under the age of 18. Many children and adults have undetected or untreated epilepsy. There are about 181,000 newly diagnosed cases each year. About half of the people with epilepsy have continuing seizures, even with treatment. Many face challenges in educational attainment, employment, transportation and social interactions. Epilepsy primarily affects children and young adults, although anyone can get epilepsy at any time. Twenty percent of cases develop before the age of five. Fifty percent develop before the age of 25. However, those 65 and older are the fastest growing population of people newly diagnosed with epilepsy.

Q2: What causes Epilepsy? A2: In about 70 percent of cases there is no known cause. Of the remaining 30 percent, the following causes are the most frequent:

• Head trauma, especially from automobile accidents, gunshot wounds, sports accidents, and falls or blows to the head at work or in the home. The more severe the injury, the greater the risk of developing epilepsy. • Brain tumor or stroke. • Congenital developmental abnormality of the brain. • Infection, such as meningitis, viral encephalitis, toxoplasmosis, and others. • Systemic diseases that may affect the brain, such as lupus. • Fetal injury: infection or systemic maternal illness affecting the developing brain of the fetus during pregnancy.

Q3: What are the common treatments for Epilepsy? A3: Many people with epilepsy often have difficulty obtaining insurance or accessing specialty care. Modern treatment methods include:

• Medical –The major form of treatment is long- term anticonvulsant drug therapy. Over 30 antiepileptic drugs are currently in use. • Surgical – Traditional neurosurgery is used when medication fails. It is limited to cases where the brain tissue causing seizures is confined to a small area of the brain that can be safely removed without damaging personality or function. • New Alternatives – These include FDA approved methods such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Newer treatments that are currently being researched include brain stimulation and radiosurgery. Research is ongoing to explore better diagnostic tools, better treatment methods for seizure control without side effects, and ultimately a cure for epilepsy.

Q4: Who is the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California? A4: The Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California is a voluntary, nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy affects approximately 133,000 Northern Californians. A nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization, the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California’s mission is to educate and support individuals with epilepsy and their families, to increase awareness in the general community and to facilitate prevention and management of epilepsy. This includes providing services and programs for people with epilepsy and their families, educating and increasing awareness about epilepsy, providing leadership in advocacy for epilepsy issues and collaborating with other community organizations in support of the mission of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California. We rely solely on the generous support of various corporations, businesses, foundations, and interested individuals to provide these services.

Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California 5700 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Ste. 295 Pleasanton, CA 94588 Tel: 925•224•7760 / Fax: 925•224•7770 / Toll Free: 800•632•3532 Email: efnca@epilepsynorcal.org / Website: www.epilepsynorcal.org

Q5: What programs are offered by the Foundation? A5: The Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California offers a number of programs for persons with epilepsy, their families and the public.

• Individual Support – We provide individuals and families with information and support to help them understand and cope with epilepsy. • Support Groups – We provide a forum for people with epilepsy to discuss their concerns, share support and encouragement and be informed about legislation, research and resources. Groups meet in various locations. • The Public Awareness Program – The program’s main goal is to lessen and to ultimately eliminate, the stigma associated with both the word and the disorder – Epilepsy. This service includes free educational presentations to small and large groups. Our Seizure Recognition Program for School Faculties has been recognized for excellence. • Film Loan Library and Educational Materials – The Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California has a variety of films available for loan to schools, clubs, organizations and agencies interested in epilepsy. An assortment of books, manuals and pamphlets are also available from this library. • Information Phone Line – One on one telephone counseling service is available for anyone needing information on epilepsy or services available for persons with epilepsy. • Advocacy – To assure the best interests of those we serve, we are involved in shaping legislation both locally and nationally. Speak Up-Speak Out is a national program offered by the Epilepsy Foundation. Individuals are encouraged to attend the National Public Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. to lobby for funding and programs that benefit people with epilepsy. • Camp Coelho – Five (5) night summer camp offered to children, ages 9-15 with a primary diagnosis of epilepsy.

Q6: How can I get involved? A6: Help us in our CAUSE by donating, volunteering or participating in our annual “Cards For A Cause” Epilepsy Poker Run! or other sponsored events. Also, you can help and support the Foundation by:

Volunteer opportunities. • Becoming a H.O.P.E. mentor and Community Outreach. • Corporate or Event Sponsorship. • Participating in peer support groups. • Scheduling an educational presentation for my employer, teacher or group. • Legislative Advocacy. • Planned giving options including wills, bequests and other gifts.

Q7: Is Epilepsy common? A7: Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder in the United States after Alzheimer's disease and stroke. It is equal in prevalence to cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease combined.

Q8: How many people are affected by Epilepsy? A8: Epilepsy is not a single entity but a family of more than 40 syndromes that affects more than 3 million people in the U. S. and 50,000,000 worldwide.

Q9: How many children are affected by Epilepsy? A9: Epilepsy strikes most often among the very young and the very old, although anyone can get it at any age. In the U.S., it currently affects more than 326,000 children under age fifteen and more than 90,000 of them have severe seizures that cannot be adequately treated.

Q10: I am and adult, am I safe from Epilepsy? A10: The number of cases in the elderly is beginning to soar as the baby boom generation approaches retirement age. Currently more than 570,000 adults age 65 and above in the U.S. have the condition.

Q11: Can you place a dollar figure on Epilepsy? A11: Epilepsy imposes an annual economic burden of $15.5 billion on the nation in associated health care costs and losses in employment, wages and productivity.

Q12: Can you die from Epilepsy? A12: The mortality rate among people with epilepsy is two to three times higher than the general population and the risk of sudden death is 24 times greater.

Q13: How many people will be diagnosed in a year? A13: This year another 200,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with epilepsy and an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 will die of seizures and related causes, including status epilepticus (non-stop seizures), sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), drowning and other accidents.

Q14: How effective is treatment for Epilepsy? A14: Thirty to 40 percent of people with epilepsy are severely affected and continue to have seizures despite treatment.

Q15: Is Epilepsy a new problem for society? A15: No. Of major chronic medical conditions, epilepsy is among the least understood even though one in three adults knows someone with the disorder.

Q16: How can those of us who are “ok” help in understanding Epilepsy? A16: Lack of knowledge about proper seizure first aid exposes affected individuals to injury from unnecessary restraint and from objects needlessly forced into the mouth. The leading non-medical problem confronting people with epilepsy is discrimination in education, employment and social acceptance.

Q17: Epilepsy facts! • Epilepsy is prevalent among other disability groups such as autism (25.5%), cerebral palsy (13%), Down's syndrome (13.6%), and mental retardation (25.5%). For people with both cerebral palsy and mental retardation the prevalence is (40%). • The association between epilepsy and depression is especially strong. More than one of every three persons with epilepsy are also affected by the mood disorder, and people with a history of depression have a 3 to 7 times higher risk of developing epilepsy. • Some people with epilepsy do not even know they have it, having been told they have a "seizure disorder" instead. This unfortunate euphemism arose because of the historical stigma associated with epilepsy, which the Epilepsy Foundation and others have fought to dispel. • It is 14 years on average between the onset of epilepsy and surgical intervention for seizures uncontrollable by medication. American physicians may be unaware of the safety and efficacy of epilepsy surgery, making it among the most underutilized of proven effective therapeutic interventions in the field of medicine.