...Epilepsy is a neurological disease that affects my uncle and many of my friends. They are a part of the almost four percent of Americans that will have a seizure in their lifetime, but to be diagnosed with epilepsy a person has to have two or more reasonless seizures (Mayo). Though they may not have seizures every day, wondering when the next attack will come does affect them on a daily basis. What exactly are seizures and how does the occurrence in the brain work? In this essay I will look at two major types of seizures, the signs and symptoms of each type, and what goes on within the brain while each type is occurring. Grand mal seizures, also known as tonic-clonic seizures, are the first type of attack that will be discussed. These are referred to as tonic-clonic seizures because there is a tonic portion, where the muscles stiffen and the person loses consciousness, and a clonic portion, where the person begins to twitch and convulse (Devinsky, 2013). At the start of the attack, head turning and visual searching can be...
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...Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages Epilepsy means the same thing as "seizure disorders" Epilepsy is characterized by unpredictable seizures and can cause other health problems Epilepsy is a spectrum condition with a wide range of seizure types and control varying from person-to-person Epilepsy is a chronic disorder, the hallmark of which is recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Many people with epilepsy have more than one type of seizure and may have other symptoms of neurological problems as well. Sometimes EEG testing, clinical history, family history and outlook are similar among a group of people with epilepsy. In these situations, their condition can be defined as a specific epilepsy syndrome. The human brain is the source of human epilepsy. Although the symptoms of a seizure may affect any part of the body, the electrical events that produce the symptoms occur in the brain. The location of that event, how it spreads and how much of the brain is affected, and how long it lasts all have profound effects. These factors determine the character of a seizure and its impact on the individual. Having seizures and epilepsy also can also affect one's safety, relationships, work, driving and so much more. How epilepsy is perceived or how people are treated (stigma) often is a bigger problem than the seizures. The human brain is the source of all human epilepsy. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have had at...
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...Seizures When you think about seizures, you think about convulsions or foaming of the mouth. The realization of it is that there are more than one form or type of seizures. The first is epilepsy which reoccurs throughout a child life until adulthood. The next is febrile seizure which it starts in children 5 years old and younger and with this form of seizure there is no reoccurrence and since there is a cutoff point to where the child does grow out of it there is no damage to the growth or learning development in the child. The febrile seizure is also because of the high temperature in a child where is above 100.4 Fahrenheit. The things that you do when you realize that a child is having a seizure is to make sure that you remain calm in with the seizure of a child. Even though it is a traumatic sight to see your child or any child go through this I know for personal experience your calmness will help with the process of the duration of the child’s seizure. The steps that you would take is to make sure that when a child is seizing that there is nothing blocking the child’s way all sharp things and edges is moved out of the way of the child. Rolling the child on his/her side enables the child not to swallow any vomit that may come up during the seizure. If you are able to tilt the chin up on the child so air is able be received. The last but not least refrain from putting anything in the child’s mouth allow the child to finish seizing before you move them. When a child has...
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...Epilepsy a Seizure Disorder Rebekah Brothers Snead State Community College 4/13/2014 NUR 203 Nursing Through the Lifespan Abstract In this paper Evidence-Based practice will be used as a guide through the nursing process for clients with a seizure disorder. This is a discussion on etiology of seizures. We will also explain the different types of seizures. The specific care for clients experiencing a seizure. The critical data that the physician needs in order to help the client. And the education of the client and family on how to deal with this disorder. *This sounds good for an abstract. It doesn’t necessarily have to be long* Witnessing a seizure is not something you are likely to forget, but as a bedside nurse it is something you are bound to experience. Seizures are a transient disruption in brain function caused by excessive electrical discharge of cortical neurons in one or more areas of the brain. They affect an estimated 25 million Americans. Each year in the United states, 300,000 people—120,000 of the younger than 18 have a seizure for the first time, and about 181,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy. The proper functioning of the brain involves the brain sending electronic pulses to receptors for information communication. The receptors include muscles, nerves, and the spinal cord. However, any disruption of a part of the brain will mean that the brain sends abnormal messages to the receptors which...
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...Epilepsy is a growing neurological disease that many people do not know a lot about. It was once thought of as being controlled by demons, the devil or witches, and even caused mass amounts of discrimination through the years. After the accusations, a few different scientists are known for big discoveries such as a diagnostic tool that is used in most cases of the disease today. Epilepsy has a growing list of seizures, all which have their own unique symptoms, names and precautions for those surrounding the seizure patient. There are not many preventions and very few treatment options, which allows this disease to continue to be mysterious and unknown by many. Epilepsy is a very serious disease that everyone should know about, including the...
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...Over the past decade or so, people have become more aware of autism, yet we still don’t talk about it like we should. Autism Spectrum Disorder, better known as autism, is a complex disorder of the brain that affects development and impairs the ability to socialize and communicate. It’s a disorder that affects about 76 million people across the globe, and 1 in 68 children born in the US are affected (“Autism Facts and Statistics”). People across the world suffer from this disorder, and yet half the population doesn’t know what autism really is. Autism is unique to every person affected by it, and the universe as a whole should be more educated on Autism and how this disorder works. Usually when people hear the word ‘autism’, they think of one...
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...recreationally. Opposing these arguments are the ideas that it’s a “high potential for abuse,” and it is harmful to those who ingest the drug. On the other hand, don’t a majority of prescriptions, drugs, and medicines that are legal, and are heavily used, all have a “high potential for abuse?” Medical marijuana being legalized for specific illnesses such as: epilepsy, crohn’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, will be life changing for those who suffer from those illnesses and diseases. This drug is the most widely used controlled substance in the world. Since marijuana has been illegal...
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...1, M1) 4 1.1 4 AC 1.2 5 AC 1.3 6 A.C 3.1 9 A.C 3.2 11 A.C 4.1 11 A.C 4.2 11 A.C 4.3 12 REFERENCE 13 PURPOSE OF REPORT The purpose of this report is to show my understanding of the perceptions of health, disability, illness and behaviour. It is also to show how health and social care services and systems supports individuals with specific needs. This report will also show how much I understand the strategies that are necessary in coping with challenging behaviour related with specific needs and finally show the different approaches and intervention strategies that support individuals with specific needs. INTRODUCTION This report will cover a case study about Mr. K Gibbs, who was a 55year old man with severe learning disability and epilepsy. I will discuss the concepts of health, disability and illness in relation to service users in health and social care. I will also be assessing and discussing how perceptions about specific needs have changed over time whilst highlighting the impact of past and present legislation, policies and the way society and culture has changed the way services are provided. I will also emphasize the importance of diversity and further highlight how fulfilling the...
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...Growing up Epileptic June of 1980 is the year I was born. It was a time when Neurologist did not know much about Epilepsy. Born to a mother who did not know how to handle a child, every time she would pick me up or move me in any way, I would not stop crying. How do people deal with things or people that are different from what they know? In the same case, those that are different from the majority, how do they grow up in a world where they are treated as outcast? This is my story, a story of a girl who always felt like an outcast, and has used it to her advantage. As a child, my mother and I would drive every few weeks to Children’s Hospital in Seattle, WA, for routine exams. For the most part, the procedures consisted of a scan or a simple test where I would have to visualize something and describe what I saw. The only problem was I did not know how to visualize something without seeing a picture of it first. Other times I was blindfolded. I was instructed to select items that had the same shape and place them in a box. This procedure became my favorite because I found a way to cheat. More so, this lead to my fascination of doing things blindfolded or with my eyes closed. No matter what it was, I spent a lot of my youth sitting in a hospital waiting for the doctor to show up or having someone draw my blood for more test. I disliked having my blood drawn, so I would always ask for the butterfly. It takes longer but the needle is a quarter of an inch long compared to...
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...person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, a change in sleep patterns, or thinking. A person with a moderate or severe TBI may show these same symptoms, but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, and slurred speech. Parts of the brain affected: Traumatic brain injury damages the area of the brain that was affected by the head suddenly hitting an object. Learning Disability: It’s a disorder that affects the ability to understand or use spoken or written language. Causes: No one's exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. But researchers do have some theories as to why they develop, including: Genetic influences, Brain development, and Environmental impacts. Symptoms: There is no one sign that shows a person has a learning disability. Experts look for a noticeable difference between how well a child does in school and how well he or she could do, given his or her intelligence or ability. Parts of the brain affected: They are not sure what part of the brain is being affected but they are best to increase the understanding of their biological basis. Stroke: A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood...
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...legalized marijuana for medicinal use will help patients through various medical issues. Marijuana has been proven to ease the side effects of chemotherapy, helps patients with severe migraine, and glaucoma patients. Many people are on the fence over the legalization of medical marijuana. There are several reasons to legalize marijuana for medical use, let me tell you about one of the reasons. Six-year-old Charlotte is a little girl who suffered from an untreatable form of epilepsy. By the time she was two years old, her parents had tried all medications to cure her some of which almost killed her. She suffered nearly fifty seizures a night. Her parents managed to get her a medical marijuana card in Colorado. Her parents reported her seizures stopped after her first dose of cannabis oil. Charlotte came out of her catatonic state and met her parents for the first time. CNN featured Charlotte and documented her story. Some parents have turned to medical marijuana to treat their children of the incapacitating epilepsy. Doctors are attributing the drug with reducing seizure activity and bringing alleviation to epileptics. According to an article written by K. Pickert (2014), an innovative clinical trial is about to commence. This clinical trial may finally afford some science to support their assertions. Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus will study the genes of children with Dravet Syndrome treated with a strain of medical marijuana known as Charlotte's...
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...Febrile seizure is a convulsion that a pediatric can experience that is instigated by a rapid increase or decrease in a fever. An episode of febrile seizure can be extremely terrifying to a parent or caretaker. One important piece of knowledge can help ease the discomforting witness of a febrile seizer. For most febrile seizure episodes, harm usually does not come to the febrile seizure patient and it also does not mean that the child has a more serious underlying health problem. When a febrile seizure occurs, the pediatric will more often than not lose consciousness and experience tonic-clonic moving all extremities about in possible a thrashing motion. Although tonic-clonic is most common, in rare instances the pediatric will have periods of muscle rigidity or have localized seizures, like an arm or a leg on only one side. Febrile seizures can last ranging from a few seconds up to an astonishing 15 minutes or more, on average a febrile seizure commonly lasts only a few minutes. According to research and studies that have been done on febrile seizures, most of the febrile seizures occur when the rectal temperature of the pediatric reaches or exceeds one hundred and two degrees Fahrenheit. The onset of a febrile seizure usually occurs in the first twenty four hours of the fevers onset. With pediatrics who...
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...single person. Actually figuring out how the brain works is a very interesting topic. One way they do this is by using brain mapping. Brain mapping is the study of the brain using imaging, and they use these imaging machines to make a map of the neurons and synapses in our brain to figure out why people are the way they are. The history of brain mapping is important to understanding how far it has come today. There are many different machines that are used to take a look at the brain. When treating a patient there are different ways doctors can go about using brain mapping. This field just as any other field, is growing every day and never know what tomorrow could bring. Brain mapping has brought us many accomplishments in the medical field, understanding how it got there is the first step to the process. Taking a look at history can be boring at times, but when talking about the brain nothing is boring. In the early 1900’s is when humans first started to realize that our brain did a lot of the work compared to the rest of our bodies. People were shocked because how can that be, something you cannot see is the whole reason why you are the way you are. After this was discovered people wanted to take a look at this and start understanding it more. The first imaging machine ever used was the X-Ray machine in 1895. This machine is what gave the idea of using more machines to take a closer look at the brain. These different machines are how we are taking an even closer look at the...
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...extraction and ingestion of cannabis oil in its pure form for the treatment of Dravet’s syndrome, a form of chronic epilepsy often found in children. This paper focuses on the history of the use of cannabis for its healing properties and provides a brief overview of the documentary which is the basis of the paper, detailing the importance of the medicalization of the cannabis plant for use in treating a number of ailments, including but not limited to the treatment of Dravet’s Syndrome and Autism in children. It was not until I watched the documentary which was recently aired on CNN entitled “Weed, Cannabis Madness” and its sequel “Weed 2” that I became interested in the healing qualities that this plant possesses and more specifically, its ability to treat children who are suffering from a condition called Dravet’s Syndrome. Dravet’s Syndrome is a form of chronic epilepsy which causes children to seize violently for upwards of 50 seizures per day. There is no cure for this disease, and for many children the drugs prescribed by their physicians such as anti-seizure medications are not effective and even harmful. The child in the first documentary, Charlotte Figi suffers from an extreme case of the disease. Her prognosis was not good. Her pediatrician and other specialists recommended to her parents that she be placed in a medically induced coma to allow for her body and brain to heal from the constant seizures which she experienced on an...
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...Mitochondrial myopathies are a group of diseases and not just one particular disease. However, all these diseases affect only one thing in our body. This one thing is the mitochondria. Those who have studied human genetics or similar sciences, know that mitochondria are present in all our nerve cells and deal with the functions our muscles. These mitochondria are what provide energy to our cells which in turn help in movement of muscles et al. If these mitochondrial problems affect only the muscles, the disease is known as a mitochondrial myopathy, where myo stands for muscle and pathos stands for disease. On the other hand, if they affect both, the muscle and the brain, it is called as a mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, where encephalo stands for brain. Group of Mitochondrial Myopathy Diseases include: Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS), Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome (MDS), Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy; Lactic Acidosis and Stroke Like Episodes (MELAS), Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy (MNGIE), Myoclonus Epilepsy with Ragged Red Fibers (MERRF), Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia (PEO), Neuropathy, Ataxia and Retinitis Pigmentosa (NARP), Leigh Syndrome, and Pearson Syndrome. Now, the question what causes mitochondrial myopathy? All of know that our body is made with the help of genes. The particular type of genes that affect mitochondrial diseases are those that make proteins, which in turn, work inside the mitochondria. Mitochondria refers to a...
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