Understanding Epilepsy

Most parents panic when their child's doctor sentenced suffering from epilepsy. In fact, the correct and regular treatment can reduce, even eliminate epileptic seizures.

Epilepsy, according to dr. Mohamad Saekhu, SpBS, from the Department of Neurosurgery Faculty of medicine-RSCM Jakarta, does not normally occur due to electrical activity in the brain. This causes seizures and behavioral changes and loss of consciousness. The signs can include loss of consciousness for some time, convulsions, tongue stuck out, salivation, shaking or sudden black out.

There are two types of epilepsy are known, namely generalized epilepsy, a loss of consciousness, convulsions throughout the body until foamy drooling and snoring breath, and muscle contraction that resulted in the patient suddenly fell or threw the object he was holding.

Also known as partial epilepsy demonstrated by a sense of tingling or a feeling familiar to the one place that lasted several minutes or hours. It could also, feeling like a dream, impaired memory, hallucinations, or empty the mind. Often followed by repeating the words, daydreaming, and run around aimlessly.

Most people with epilepsy due to hereditary factors. Children born to families with epilepsy, tend to suffer from epilepsy as well. Furthermore, epilepsy can also be caused by various diseases that interfere with brain function.

"Epilepsy can occur because of abnormalities of brain formation (congenital), infectious disease that causes inflammation of the brain, a tumor in the brain, step over and over, metabolic disorders, and there is no known cause," said dr.Saekhu.

People with epilepsy are mostly children, but epilepsy can also appear in adulthood. According dr.Hanif Tobias, neurosurgeon from FKUI / RSCM, cases of epilepsy in adults usually occurs because of infection or head trauma due to traffic accidents that cause brain bruise.

Seizure free

According dr.Saekhu, drugs given to patients with epilepsy are not directly cure epilepsy, but merely to control or dilute the attack, even eliminate them. "The main goal of epilepsy treatment is seizure free," he explained.

A people with epilepsy generally require the drug to no longer exist attacks within a certain time, depending on the type of epilepsy, past history of epilepsy, and brain electrical recordings.

Surgery can be done if the treatment given to epilepsy patients do not reduce complaints. "At the RSCM, surgery can be performed if MRI shows no gliomas or benign tumors," added dr.Hanafi. Despite surgery, but patients with epilepsy still required to take anti-seizure medication.

What is important to know the parents, epilepsy does not always result in deterioration of intelligence in people. Children can also can move normally like other healthy children as long as it regularly taking the drug.