Epilepsy and Its Risk Factor

Epilepsy is not a disease, but a group of disorders for which recurrent seizures are the main symptom. Epilepsy is a recurrent seizure disorder caused by abnormal electrical discharges from brain cells. Based on its cause, epilepsy contain primary epilepsy or are said to be "idiopathic," without any clear cause and secondary epilepsy,due to a particular brain abnormality or neurological disorder. In order to know the causes of epilepsy, there are examinations can be done. Blood analysis, electroencephalography examination, CT Scanning and MRI imaging.

These are risk factor of epilepsy:

1. all condition during mother pregnancy, such as certain drugs, alcoholism, trauma and radiation to mother
2. inadequate of oxygen of the baby born, known as asphyxia neonatorum, procedure of forceps during the delivery process.
3. head injury. Seizure happens in that moment or 2-3 years later. If there are recurrent seizures in different time, then it called epilepsy.
4. brain tumors
5. metabolic disorder.

High or low blood glucose as complications of diabetes mellitus can cause seizure. Checking glucose levels, for example, is a mandatory action in the management of seizures as hypoglycemia may cause seizures, and failure to administer glucose would be harmful to the patient. Another causes of epilepsy are imbalance of electrolyte, nutricial deficiency, chronic renal failure, alcoholism and drugs.

6. infection, such as encephalitis, meningitis and abcess of brain
7. familial record of epilepsy. It said that if a child has one of the parent of brother with epilepsy, the risk of epilepsy in that child is 5%, but if both of parent with epilepsy, the risk is greater and become 10 %. This condition happens because of seizure threshold which is lower than normal people descended to their children.

Type of seizure

A seizure is the result of an impulsive burst of excess electrical activity in the brain. This causes the brain's messages to become momentarily halted or mixed up. The type of seizure a person has depends on the area of the brain where this activity occurs.

Seizure types are organized firstly according to whether the source of the seizure within the brain is localized (partial or focal onset seizures) or distributed (generalized seizures). Partial seizures are further divided on the extent to which consciousness is affected. If it is unaffected, then it is a simple partial seizure; otherwise it is a complex partial seizure. A partial seizure may spread within the brain - a process known as secondary generalisation. Generalized seizures are divided according to the effect on the body but all involve loss of consciousness. These include absence (petit mal), myoclonic, clonic, tonic,general tonic-clonic (grand mal), and atonic seizures.

Epileptic seizures are classed as partial or generalised. Partial seizures involve part of the brain, while generalised seizures involve the whole brain. It is possible for partial seizures to become generalised seizures if the epileptic activity spreads to the whole brain.

Because there are so many different seizure types and symptoms, epilepsy can be a difficult condition to diagnose. Some people may go for years without being given a correct diagnosis of epilepsy. It is possible for some people to be misdiagnosed with epilepsy.

What are seizures

Seizures are temporary abnormal electro-physiologic phenomena of the brain, which are sudden, short and uncontrolled, resulting in abnormal synchronization of electrical neuronal activity. They can manifest as change in mental state, tonic or clonic movements, convulsions, and other psychical symptoms. Manifestasion of seizure depends on the number of neuron and which area of brain that is involved, but seizures often cause unusual sensations, uncontrollable muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

Some seizures may be the result of a medical problem such as infection, low and high blood sugar , a head injury, accidental poisoning, or drug overdose. A seizure may also be due to a brain tumor or other health problem affecting the brain. In addition, anything that results in a sudden lack of oxygen to the brain can cause a seizure. In some cases, the cause of the seizure is never discovered.

When seizures recur, it may indicate the chronic condition known as epilepsy.

Febrile seizures, quite common in kids younger than 4 years old, can occur when a child develops a high fever, usually with the temperature rising rapidly to 102° Fahrenheit (38.9° Celsius) or more.

What can you do when someone have a seizure?

Here are 6 things you could do when someone have a seizure:

1. don’t be panic
2. the seizure can’t be stopped unless by medication, you just have to wait until it stopped
3. place someone who’s having a seizure on the ground or floor in a safe area, removed any nearby objects
4. loosen any clothing around the head or neck.
5. once the seizure seems to have ended, roll him or her onto him or her side
6. when the seizure over 5 minutes, call for emergency medical services