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Is Epilepsy Genetic??
Epilepsy: Is it Genetic? What is epilepsy? First we review our definition of epilepsy: Epilepsy is a condition or a disorder characterized by sudden surges of disorganized electrical impulses in the brain that eventually leads to seizures. In other medical books, it is defined as “a neurological condition that affects the nervous system. Technical terms call it a seizure disorder. What is Seizure? A seizure is not a disease. It is a symptom of a lot of disorders that in some way can affect the brain. A brain injury may cause seizures and thus may eventually lead to epilepsy. However, if you have a family tendency of having epilepsy, then you are prone to seizures since it is a common symptom observed. Hence, most of the time, the cause of epilepsy is unknown. Have you ever encountered someone having seizure? How does victim react with his ailment? Is he having convulsions? How does he move? Jerking and spastic muscle movements characterize epileptic seizure. It is marked by alternations in sensation and loss of consciousness. Is Epilepsy Genetic? Well, you might get worried of having this disorder, when you discover that it runs in the family. Let’s further elaborate who can get epilepsy. Epilepsy is capable of developing in any person at any age. Statistics show that approximately 0.5 percent to two percent of people can have epilepsy all throughout their lives. This condition makes it a lifetime problem for victims of epilepsy who may be at greater risk. In the US, there are nearly about 2.7 million Americans who were treated for such disorder. And it was found out that more men suffered from epilepsy than women. Is it genetic? This is the question, most people are afraid of. Who are really prone to getting epilepsy? Is epilepsy genetic? Youngsters and adolescents have a great probability of having epilepsy of unknown or genetic origin than adults. Cases of epilepsy in very young children might be a big deal for some people; since it is very obvious that genetics or heredity is responsible for having such disorder. A history of seizures in the family is an evidence for those people who have developed epilepsy. People with a family history imply that they are more prone for having it, than people who have no genetic tendency. There is one but common type of epilepsy in which seizures start simultaneously from both faces of the brain. This is called the primary generalized epilepsy, which is more expected to engage some factors of genetics than partial epilepsy. In partial epilepsy, seizures come about only from limited parts of the brain. One mother would ask: Will my kids acquire epilepsy if I have it? It was recorded as already mentioned, that less than two percent of every one hundred people could have epilepsy during their lifetime. If a mother has epilepsy, it would not guarantee one hundred percent, and that her child will also have epilepsy. The probability of having such risk would be less than five percent. However, the risk for those children whose father has epilepsy still is not a good basis of concluding that his children will acquire it. But if for instance, both parents have it, and then we can say that the risk is higher. If in case, you have epilepsy, don’t be bothered if your children will also have it. If you still have that fear, keep in mind that the risk is low and that majority of kids outgrow it. Hence, many are used to controlling seizures through proper medications. The best thing to do is, get a specialist. Have a pleasant relationship with him, befriend him and trust in him. Have a positive view over things. Be serious in taking your medicines and be cautious! There are roughly eighty percent of individuals with epilepsy, who are treated with such medications, remain free of seizures for at least two years. Several patients never have seizures any more after they have undergone through medications. If there is no identified brain abnormalities as well as brain injuries the chances of becoming completely free of seizure is high. Thus, a normal EEG and neurological examination would indicate his condition as safe or seizure free. Is Epilepsy Congenital - Will I have it Forever?Epilepsy: A Congenital Disorder Is Epilepsy Congenital? Is epilepsy generic? Will I have it forever? When are people most likely to get epilepsy? What does congenital mean? According to the Webster’s dictionary, congenital means present at birth or acquired during fetal development and not hereditary. Thus, epilepsy could be seen as a congenital disorder or it was already present when the child is born or in some cases, he child may have acquired it when his mother had some complications during his development while still in fetal form. New cases of epilepsy are common among children aged a year or two. However, its rate progressively declines until the age of ten, and eventually stabilizes. Epilepsy can be both congenital as well as hereditary. Yes, this is a fact. Most patients were diagnosed to have its symptoms as early as an infant to adolescents to middle age people to over age adults. Some children may be inborn with a brain defect, or in some cases, they may have a head injury or infection that causes their epilepsy. In young adults, the common cause of epilepsy would be a critical injury in the head. While in the middle age, the most common causes would still be a serious head injury plus tumors and strokes which are very frequent. For those people sixty years of age and above, stroke would be the most common cause, which if not controlled may eventually result in some degenerative situation such as Alzheimer's disease. Epileptic Seizures Seizures are a symptom of this disorder, epilepsy. How serious are these seizures? Seizures can range from mild to very severe. Of course this would be when not treated properly. Yes, medicine can help minimize attacks of seizures of epileptic people. But in cases of a long long-term convulsive seizure, this would be very alarming. This would be a medical emergency and if not stopped within about thirty minutes, this may cause a permanent injury or even death. Life Expectancy If I have epilepsy, how long will I live? This is a question of people who are desperate and have already lost hope, knowing that they have such as disorder. Don’t despair, have hope! There are many specialists out there who can help you! They know epilepsy better than you do! Life is expected to continue as long as you have discipline. People who suffer from severe strokes have greater chances of dying sooner than those who don’t. A brain tumor, on the other hand, would also be very fatal for a person with epilepsy. The life expectancy of people with epilepsy, who are very sickly, is the same for everyone. But in cases like serious strokes and other such ailment, epilepsy may cause them to die early. Is Epilepsy Incurable? Since epilepsy is congenital, it can live with you for the rest of your life. Hence, you don’t have to be bothered a lot. There are prescribed medicines out there that can help you ease your seizure attacks. Thus, in one way or another, when taken properly together with a healthy lifestyle, medicines can help you become seizure-free. Even though there is no guarantee of being cured from epilepsy, you cannot conclude that epilepsy is incurable. Serious attacks can be prevented and controlled. However, even if medicines can help in making a person free from seizure in quite some time, there is still a need to be very careful concerning likely accidents. Epilepsy: A life-long disorder? Normally, seizures affect the lifestyle of people with epilepsy. Hence, even if these people require constant medication, they are not decided to do it for the rest of their lives. For people like this, a positive aura is convincing them that they might get cured, if not, at least just for a short time. Sixty percent of epileptic people who are experiencing seizures can be easily controlled and more likely to go away. But still, there are twenty-five percent who may develop serious seizures that are likely to be treated lifetime. As it has been said, more than ½ of childhood epilepsy can be outgrown. Nevertheless, if ever someone is declared as seizure-free for about 1-3 years, medications can be withdrawn and stopped when advised by a doctor.
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