Definitely not! It is one of the most common neurological condition, a brain disorder and a person affected by epilepsy is not mentally ill.
About as contagious as a mosquito bite! You simply can't catch epilepsy or have a seizure from another person.
Epilepsy can happen to anyone at any age.
Epilepsy can start in seniors, aged over 65, almost as often as it starts in children aged ten and under. Seizures in the elderly are usually due to the after-effects of other health problems like stroke, heart disease, dementia etc.
Epilepsy isn’t rare with over 50 million people world-wide being affected by it. In Hong Kong, an estimated over 64,000 people are affected by it, which is almost one in every 100. Though epilepsy can occur as a single condition, it may also accompany many other conditions affecting the brain, such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, Alzheimer's or traumatic brain injury.
It is physically impossible to swallow your tongue during seizure. But one of our volunteers did choke on his tongue during a seizure. It must be noted that this is not very common.
Never use restraint! There is nothing you can do to stop the seizure and you have to let it run its own course. Please refer to the “First Aid” section on our website for more details.
Absolutely not! You might end up getting bitten and the person might end up with chipped teeth or bruised gums. All you have to do is gently roll the person on one side and put something soft under his/her head to protect him/her from getting injured.
Seizures usually are typical with the person doing almost the same thing during each episode. Though, it must be noted that it is not uncommon for the type of seizure to change. It is definitely possible for a person experiencing tonic-clonic seizures for a few years to suddenly start having partial seizures.
Visit the “first aid” section of this website for some simple tips to help a person with a seizure.
People with epilepsy are as intelligent and capable as everyone else. Some have severe seizures that impede their work; but many others flourish at their work place and have extremely challenging careers. Many of the famous personalities like Martin Luther King, Aristotle, Isaac Newton, Vincent Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo are said to have been affected by epilepsy.
People with seizure disorders are found in all walks of life and across all levels be it in the corporate, arts or sports world. Our founder, Tom Smith, is an international rugby player. It is extremely sad to see that despite all the medical advances and knowledge about epilepsy, the huge stigma that is attached to epilepsy still exists , thereby forcing those affected by it to live in silence.
The fact is that epilepsy can still sometimes be a very serious condition and people do die from it. Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is relatively rare, but it is good for those affected by epilepsy to be aware about it. Though as the name suggests, the exact cause of death is unknown, there might be certain risk factors like poor medication adherence or poor seizure control especially in those with tonic-clonic seizures. Sometimes a person affected by epilepsy can die if his/her brain is in a state of persistent seizure (status epilepticus). Hence, it is important to call an ambulance if a person is in the state of prolonged seizure or continuous seizure without recovery.
As mentioned earlier, there should be no stigma attached to epilepsy. It is a neurological condition and not a disease. Unfortunately, the stigma against people with epilepsy and their families continue to be widely prevalent.
Many epilepsy organisations including Enlighten-Action for Epilepsy Hong Kong are making efforts to remove this stigma through education and training.
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Myths |
The Facts |
| You can swallow your tongue during a seizure. | It's physically impossible to swallow your tongue. |
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You should force something into the mouth of someone having a seizure. |
Absolutely not! That's a good way to chip teeth, puncture gums, or even break someone's jaw. The correct first aid is simple Just gently roll the person on one side and put something soft under his head to protect him from getting injured.
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You should restrain someone having a seizure. |
Never use restraint! The seizure will run its course and there is no way you can stop it.
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Epilepsy is contagious. |
About as contagious as a mosquito bite! You simply can't catch epilepsy from another person.
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Only kids get epilepsy. |
Epilepsy can happen to anyone at any age. Epilepsy can start in seniors who are aged over 65 almost as often as it does to children aged ten and under. Seizures in the elderly are often the after-effects of other health problems like stroke, heart disease, dementia etc.
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People with epilepsy are disabled and can't work. |
People with the condition have the same range of abilities and intelligence as everyone else. Some have severe seizures and might not work; but many others are successful and productive in challenging careers.
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People with epilepsy shouldn't be in jobs of responsibility and stress. |
People with seizure disorders are found in all walks of life and at all levels in business, government, sports, the arts and the professions. You aren't always aware of them because many people, even today, do not talk about having epilepsy for fear of what others might think.
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With today's medication, epilepsy is largely a solved problem. |
Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition and many people might be successfully seizure-free. Unfortunately, the treatment doesn’t work for everyone and there's a critical need for more research.
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Epilepsy is rare and there aren't many who have epilepsy. |
Epilepsy isn’t rare with over 50 million people world-wide being affected by it. It might occur as a single condition, or may accompany many other conditions affecting the brain, such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, Alzheimer's, and traumatic brain injury.
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You can't die from epilepsy. |
Epilepsy can sometimes be a very serious condition and individuals do die of it. Experts estimate that prolonged seizures when the brain is in a state of persistent seizure (status epilepticus) is the cause of epilepsy deaths throughout the world each year.
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You can't tell what a person might do during a seizure. |
Seizures commonly take a characteristic form and the individual will do much the same thing during each episode. Though the behaviour may be inappropriate for the time and place, but it is unlikely to cause harm to anyone.
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People with epilepsy are physically limited in what they can do |
In most cases, epilepsy isn't a barrier to physical achievement, although some individuals can be more severely affected and may be limited in what they can do.
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Having a person in the family with epilepsy is a stigma, so this fact should be hidden.
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Unfortunately, the stigma against people with epilepsy and their families continue to be widely prevalent. Many epilepsy organisations including Enlighten-Action for Epilepsy are making efforts to remove this stigma through education and training.
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Do you have any questions, any worries, any fears about epilepsy?
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