According to the CDC, around 3.4 million Americans have epilepsy — a number that includes more than 470,000 children. With the recent death of Disney Channel star Cameron Boyce, who died in his sleep due to a fatal seizure caused by epilepsy, the disorder has been prominent in recent news, but many still struggle to fully understand it.
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The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines epilepsy as a spectrum disorder due to its different causes, different seizure types and its ability to vary in severity and impact. Some people may suffer from convulsions and lose consciousness, while others experience a brief loss of awareness; some may experience seizures very infrequently, while others have hundreds or seizures each day.
Epilepsy has many causes, from genetic factors and developmental brain abnormalities to infection, traumatic brain injury, stroke and brain tumors. According to NIH, “Anything that disturbs that normal pattern of neuron activity — from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development — can lead to seizures.”
Pharmaceutical drugs are the first and most commonly used treatment method for epilepsy. Unfortunately, it takes time and experimentation to find a suitable drug, and these medications are often accompanied by unpleasant side effects that can do more harm than good. Where medication fails, there is another alternative that can often pick up the slack.
Clinical medicine began recognizing the ketogenic diet as a valuable option in the treatment of epilepsy in the late 90s. Today, it can often be used as a first line approach in seizure disorders. Studies have shown success in reducing seizures by placing children with epilepsy on a ketogenic diet. While adult studies have been somewhat more scarce, a 2014 study published in Neurology found that 32% of adult epilepsy patients on a ketogenic diet reduced their seizures by about half. Around 9% were able to reduce the frequency of their seizures by more than 90%.
If you witness someone having a seizure, here’s what to do, according to NIH:
- Roll the person on his or her side to prevent choking on any fluids or vomit.
- Cushion the person’s head.
- Loosen any tight clothing around the neck.
- Don’t restrict the person from moving or wandering unless he or she is in danger.
- Do NOT put anything into the person’s mouth, not even medicine or liquid. These can cause choking or damage to the person’s jaw, tongue or teeth. Remember, people cannot swallow their tongues during a seizure or any other time.
- Remove any dangerous objects the person might hit or walk into during the seizure.
- Note how long the seizure lasts and what symptoms occurred so you can tell a doctor or emergency personnel if necessary.
- Stay with the person until the seizure ends.