Vet who pretended to euthanized dog with seizures is being sued!

An American couple who thought they were watching their epileptic dog being euthanased actually witnessed a simple sedation concocted so the veterinary clinic could give the dog someone else, they claim in a lawsuit.

Dana and Gary Ganyer said they cried while watching what they thought was the death of Annie, a two-year-old German shepherd that had increasingly frequent and debilitating seizures.

But in a lawsuit they contend Annie was not euthanased in February 2005 at a veterinary clinic in Pennsylvania.

Instead, the lawsuit says, the dog was given a sedative to make it appear she was dead. The clinic then gave Annie to a new owner, who cared for the dog until he had her euthanased on November 2, according to the lawsuit.

"When I heard she was still alive I literally screamed and went into hysterics and I was in shock for three days," Dana Ganyer said. "My nerves were totally torn up that this vet could do this."

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, accuses the clinic and three of its employees of fraud, negligence and defamation. A lawyer for the clinic did not return a call.

On June 30, the Ganyers received a call from the former clinic employee, who told them Annie was still alive.

A few days later they drove to the new owner's home in Philadelphia. The Ganyers told the man that they were Annie's rightful owners, but he refused to give her back.

The new owner, Gene Rizzo, said the dog had seizures every few weeks, but between them "she was perfectly normal".

Annie was euthanased after Rizzo said she lapsed into a coma-like state for two days and his veterinarian told him the dog was "really suffering".

Keppra gets Europeans' vote of confidence to treat seizures

UCB also reported that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has adopted a positive opinion, recommending the approval of Keppra as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of myoclonic seizures in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME).

UCB's variation application with the EMEA is based on a phase III, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Keppra as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of myoclonic seizures in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy.

"Keppra is now the first and only newer anti-epileptic drug with both oral and intravenous formulations and we are pleased to provide European physicians and hospitals with an alternative for patients when oral administration is not feasible," said Troy Cox, president of CNS operations at UCB.

"The positive opinion with respect to Keppra's expanded indication is also encouraging news for patients living with JME and myoclonic seizures, and we look forward to receiving a final determination from the European Commission."

Woman robbed during seizures

Lydia Ramsay, 24, said she was robbed of $700 and all her cards after having a fit on Harry Street in Ashgrove, in Brisbane's west, about 10am (AEST) today.

Ms Ramsay said she was on her way home after withdrawing the money from a nearby bank to pay phone and rent bills.

“I usually get a warning but this (seizure) did come out of the blue,” she said today.pe”When I came to, my purse was gone.

“I looked everywhere in case I had just dropped it but it wasn't anywhere to be found and I rang the police and asked around if anyone had handed a purse in, but no one had handed a purse in anywhere.”

Ms Ramsay, a disability nurse, said she did not see the thief because she “blanks out completely” during seizures.

No one came to her aid despite falling ill in a “very public” place and ironically, in front of a medical centre.

“There's a main road at each end of the street, and there's a Woolworths at one end, a Coles at the other, medical centres, a bus route, so (it was) very busy,” Ms Ramsay said.

“I'm more upset than anything that I didn't get help from anyone.

“No one even bothered to call the police or even bother to go into the medical centre.”

Ms Ramsay, who has suffered seizures since age 11, was unsure how long the seizure lasted but said they could last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes.

Police have appealed for witnesses to the robbery to come forward.

“Police are appalled at the audacity of the thief, committing the offence whilst the woman was clearly in need of help,” a spokeswoman said.

Premier Peter Beattie last month appealed for Queenslanders to be more compassionate after a prominent indigenous leader was left for dead at a busy Brisbane bus stop for more than five hours.

Boy dies from seizures due to abuse from dad, years ago

Gerelle Nelson had a short and difficult life.He suffered severe brain damage, which led to seizures, after being injured by his father in 2001 when he was younger than a year old. On Sunday afternoon, he died in his sleep inside his mother's Sauk Village home in the 3000 block of 224th Place.He was two months shy of his 6th birthday.Deputy Police Chief Thomas Mountford said Gerelle was found unresponsive in his bed about 12:30 p.m.

His mother, Michelle, called police, and Gerelle was pronounced dead 14 minutes later.His death was the result of seizures and blunt head trauma and was ruled a homicide Monday by the Cook County medical examiner's office.Gerelle's father, Gerald Nelson, 30, was charged around the time of his son's injury with aggravated battery of a child.

He was sentenced last summer to 6 years in prison and is at the East Moline Correctional Center, police said.Now that Gerelle has died, Nelson may face more serious charges, police said.Although the medical examiner's office said there was a direct correlation between the prior injury and the boy's death, police had not yet come to that conclusion.

"We need to go over the medical examiner's report and our report and see if we are on the same page," Mountford said.A forensic pathologist in the medical examiner's office said the boy died because of the seizures, which were a direct result of his brain injury as an infant.He said Gerelle's body was in good condition and that he appeared to have been well taken care of in recent years.Jake Ash, Michelle's uncle by marriage, said the woman doted on her son.

"I feel bad for her," he said Monday. "I know how she felt about him."Kendall Marlowe, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, said the agency became involved in Gerelle's life in 2001. Marlowe had few details on the incident that led to the boy's injury, but said the agency found the abuse allegations against his father to be credible.

Gerelle was placed in foster care after the abuse was discovered. He was returned to his mother's care that same year.Marlowe said the department would begin a new investigation into Gerelle's death.

Treatment of seizures, not an easy task

Robby Kaminski-Duke has one passion in life - riding his dirt bike.

"I've dislocated my shoulder, fractured my wrist," Robby said.

But these injuries aren't his main health concern. You see, Robby suffers from severe seizures.
This is where Robby had his first big seizure. He was 4 years old and swimming with his brothers and sisters in the family swimming pool. When he went to the bottom his mom just thought he was being a goofy kid. When he didn't come up for air after 45 seconds she knew something was wrong.

"We jumped in immediately and pulled him out and that seizure lasted almost three hours," Robby’s mom Alicia Kaminski said.

Do you worry about them riding bikes? Alicia said, “I do, but no more than any other motocross mom."

"I wear a chest protector, gloves, helmets," Robby said.

He also wears a wrist watch looking device. It is a magnet that activates a Vagus Nerve Stimulator or VNS. It's a pacemaker like device implanted on the left side of Robby's chest.

"It stimulates left vagus nerve,” child neurologist Dr. Jasna Kojic said. “Vagus nerve then stimulates nuclei in the brain that hopefully prevents further hyperactivity of the brain wave that can trigger seizures."

Swiping his magnet usually stops a seizure immediately, but it doesn't stop all of them.
"When I raised my concerns about his dirt bike racing they stated I could fix a wire, but not a broken heart," Dr. Kojic said.

As Robby follows his dreams of becoming a professional dirt bike racer, his mom watches knowing a seizure can happen anytime.

VNS therapy is only for people who have not been able to control their seizures with medications.
Robby Duke's situation is atypical. Dr. Kojic says she does not advise people with epilepsy to take part in contact sports.

Surgery may help living seizure free

Brain surgery may produce a seizure-free life for some.

The question: Many people can keep epilepsy in check by taking medication, but others have seizures that drugs can't control. Might surgery to remove the area of the brain causing the seizures help people with intractable epilepsy?

This study: Involved 399 people who had epilepsy surgery after having had seizures for an average of 20 years. Six months after surgery, 81 percent of the participants were seizure-free or nearly so; after 10 years, 72 percent rarely if ever had seizures. People aged 18 to 40 had better results than other people. Those whose surgery involved the temporal lobe fared better than those who had surgery on other regions of the brain.

Who may be affected by these findings? People with epilepsy, which affects about 3 million Americans. The authors report that as many as 40 percent of epileptics have seizures that cannot be controlled solely by medication.

Caveats: Not all people with epilepsy are good candidates for surgery. Results may vary depending on the expertise of the surgeon.

Britney Spears' son could suffer from seizures

While Britney Spears again made headlines for her baby Sean Preston falling out of his high chairand fracturing his little skull, a report now claims this isn't the first time.

Another Scare for Bit's Baby Sean Preston

The report claims that prior to little Sean Preston falling backwards out of his highchair, the little tyke rolled off of Britney's bed and onto the floor not once, but twice.
David Wright and Robin Mizrahi report that those falls combined with his high chair drop injuries could lead to seizures.

The Enquirer writers detail:

Britney Spears is facing fresh heartache over baby Sean Preston amid fears that he could suffer long-term brain damage. When seven-month-old Sean toppled out of his high chair and fractured his scalp it wasn't his first fall, an ENQUIRER investigation has uncovered.

Twice before, says a source, the baby has rolled off of the pop princess' bed and crashed to the floor. That's one of the shocking new claims about Britney's bizarre life uncovered by The ENQUIRER — and, tragically, it comes as doctors say Sean could suffer brain seizures or memory loss for years to come.

"Both times Britney freaked out when she was wakened by the sound of her little boy screaming," said an insider. "She found him lying face down on the floor after falling from the bed.

Man suffering from seizures is missing!

Grand Forks police are asking for help in locating 42-year-old Troy Allen Waxvick, who's been missing since April 12.

There's no evidence of foul play in Waxvick's disappearance, police said.

He usually rides a bicycle when traveling, and the bike is at his home, according to police.
Waxvick is white, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs about 200 pounds and has blue eyes and brown hair down to his shoulders. Although he used to wear a beard, he only might have a short growth right now, according to police.

He also wears wire-rimmed glasses.

Police said that Waxvick lives alone at 310 N. Seventh St., and is a long-term employee at Associated Potato in Grand Forks.

Family members said that Waxvick suffers from seizures, but he may not have been taking his medication.

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Waxvick, please give the police department a call at (701) 746-2500.

It helps to know what triggers your seizures

Epilepsy, a brain disorder that causes seizures, affects more than 2.7 million Americans.
Many different factors can trigger an epileptic seizure, and understanding what causes seizures may help prevent them. Taking anti-epileptic medications as prescribed is the most important thing you can do to reduce the frequency of your seizures.

The Epilepsy Foundation recommends that you get enough sleep. Fatigue, as well as stress, can trigger seizures in some people. Substance abuse, including alcohol abuse and use of illegal drugs, can also trigger seizures. Women may experience an increase in seizures related to hormonal changes, such as during their menstrual cycles, pregnancy or menopause.

The Epilepsy Foundation recommends that you take note of what you were doing, feeling, or eating around the time of a seizure. By paying careful attention to these activities, you can begin to recognize which actions you should avoid.

Parliament member asks for shock therapy limitations

Helen Smith told Parliament's health committee that electro-convulsive therapy was based on a mistaken 1930s idea that epileptics did not have schizophrenia – therefore inducing seizures in those who did would cure them.
"Unfortunately, it hasn't worked, and it's really the scientific equivalent of hitting someone over the head with a softball bat.
"As doctors and physicians, we look upon the seizures and convulsions as harmful to the body and brain and medicate against epileptic fits. Yet here, psychiatrists were creating convulsions based on a mistaken notion that if you're an epileptic, you cannot be a schizophrenic – not very good scientific logic, and yet ECT continues today."
Dr Smith's comments came during a hearing on a petition she has taken to have the treatment – supplied to 305 patients in the 2003-04 year – banned for children, pregnant women and the elderly.
The committee began hearing the petition in the last Parliament, but held the issue over as there was not time to deliberate before the election.
A preliminary report said future hearings should take evidence from medical professionals who prescribed and administered the treatment. Auckland University psychology senior lecturer John Read, who appeared before the committee with Dr Smith, said a Health Ministry review of ECT found no evidence of its effectiveness, but still recommended it continue. He said the finding did not make sense.
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Auckland Hospital psychiatrist Thomas Rudegeair, also with Dr Smith, said ECT was known to cause persistent memory loss, which in his view was the same as brain damage. It could be particularly harmful to elderly patients, who were most commonly given the treatment.
He conceded ECT helped patients who were in catatonic states and at risk of dying through not being able to eat, but in most cases it was given to patients who were not at risk.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists said in a written submission that ECT should not be banned for the three groups as there were "clear indications" it was useful in their treatment and safe. It said there was no evidence the treatments were being applied inappropriately

Kids exposed to lab content which may cause seizures

DETECTIVES are shocked at finding more young children at poisonous clandestine drug laboratories as production of methamphetamines rises in Victoria.

The most worrying methamphetamine for police is ice -- a crystalised, potent version of speed that causes hallucinations, seizures and violent psychosis.

According to the major drug investigation division, ice labs are hidden in the suburbs.
As the Herald Sun revealed last week, Victorian detectives busted more than 50 methamphetamine labs in the past 18 months -- about a third of the labs they believe are operating.

"While there has been no large scale (ice) laboratory seizures, there has been a slight increase in the quantity of ice being seized at street level," Det-Insp Adrian White confirmed yesterday.

The clandestine labs are used to produce designer drugs like speed, ice and amphetamine-based ecstasy.

They are highly flammable and toxic.

Major drug detectives, who have to wear protective suits and breathing apparatus when dismantling the labs, are angry at a rise in the number of children found at homes where labs are operating.

The trend could spur a change in legislation so that negligent adults risking their children's lives while making methamphetamines can be punished severely by courts.

"It is extremely disturbing," Det-Insp White said.

"We are undertaking some research in potential drug-endangered children legislation.

"In the absence of specific legislation we will work in conjunction with the Department of Human Services to ensure the health and welfare of children when they are located in a drug lab."

Those who cook dangerous drugs around children can charged with offences including conduct endangering life.

Det-Insp White said ice was the most potent methamphetamine and usually smoked or injected.
"Crystal amphetamine is on the rise and this brings with it further health concerns as many people use ice intravenously," he said.

"As such, we are then faced with the same health issues that we see with heroin given that many drug users will share needles."

Photographs given to Victoria Police by US law enforcement agencies show the ravaging effects prolonged methamphetamine use can have.

Within five years they can look like they have aged 20 years, with open sores and rotten teeth.
Along with obvious physical deterioration, ice can cause high blood pressure, seizures, stroke, brain damage and death.

ANYONE with information about methamphetamine production is asked to call crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Little girl fights against seizures

There are fewer things more precious than the life of a child. No one knows that more than Shannon and Rand Olson of Lakeville. "Every second we get," Shannon says of her 1-year-old daughter McKenna, "is a miracle." McKenna Olson is a victim of Alpers' Disease.

A rare degenerative brain disease that attacks the gray matter. There is NO cure.McKenna was diagnosed with the disease just two weeks after her brother Drew died from it - five days shy of his second birthday."I think of him all the time," Shannon said, "every day not a second goes by that I don't miss him."The disease is very rare and very cruel.

When it strikes it does so in seizures. McKenna had her first bout with seizures three months ago while on a vacation in California. She was life-flighted back to Minnesota while in a drug induced coma. Since the seizures the Olson's know McKenna's days are numbered. "We do still hope," Shannon says, "that's all we have." To see McKenna today is to see a beautiful 13-month-old girl. She loves to play, to giggle, and to give big hugs to her big brother Cameron.

McKenna is the only child in the family now to suffer from Alpers'. Her parents and brother are silent carriers of the gene, but, none of them have the disease.Shannon says since the 1930's when Alpers' was discovered only about one hundred cases have been reported. The cruelty that two of those are her babies in almost too much to bear. "It's not fun anymore," Shannon says, "life isn't fun. It's a job. I have to be a doctor, a nurse and a mom. I'm not qualified for all of that."

McKenna's family also has to deal with the financial end of this nightmare. Her life flight home from California was more than $20,000. Shannon stays home now and doesn't work because McKenna needs constant care. Rand, McKenna's dad, works full time for Qwest."I have to be here," Shannon says, "because I don't know when she's going to not be here anymore." For informaton on a fund to help McKenna, click here.

Is the menstrual cycle affecting Epilepsy?

Menstrual cycles appear to influence seizure frequency in women with epilepsy, a U.S. study finds.
In women with epilepsy, having a shorter or longer menstrual cycle reduces ovulation, and a lack of ovulation boosts the frequency of seizures, the study authors found.

The findings were presented Thursday at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, in San Diego.

"Ovulation rates are much lower among women with epilepsy than in the general population," study author Dr. Andrew Herzog, of the Harvard Neuroendocrine Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, noted in a prepared statement.

"It has been suggested that these lower ovulation rates may be due in part to menstrual cycles that are longer or shorter than normal, and that lack of ovulation may in turn correlate with increased frequency of seizures, but prospective data are lacking in this population," Herzog said.

Researching further, his team conducted a study of menstrual cycle length, ovulation occurrence, and seizure frequency in women with epilepsy. The researchers compared frequency of seizures during cycles with ovulation and cycles with no ovulation in women who had at least one of each cycle during the study.

Ovulation occurred in 90 percent of 26- to 32-day cycles but sharply decreased in shorter or longer menstrual cycles. For example, ovulation occurred in less than 40 percent of 23- or 35-day cycles. On average, seizures occurred every four days in ovulatory cycles and about every three days during cycles with no ovulation.

"These results support the hypothesis that seizure frequency is affected by ovulation and ovulation is correlated with cycle length," Herzog said.

More information

The Epilepsy Foundation has more about women and epilepsy.

Medecine effective in treating partial seizures

The use of investigational anticonvulsant rufinamide appears to reduce the risk of partial seizures by 50% in adults with inadequately controlled partial seizures, according to data presented here at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (AAN).The results show that, compared with placebo, rufinamide achieved twice the reduction in partial seizures (18.6% vs 28.2%, respectively, P =.0381), the researchers reported.

Martin J. Brodie, MD, professor of medicine and clinical pharmacology, University of Glasgow, and clinical and research director, Epilepsy Unit, Western Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland, led the double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled, randomised, parallel-group study.Researchers randomised 313 patients to a 56-day baseline phase and a 91-day double-blind treatment phase. During the treatment phase, rufinamide was titrated up to a dose of 3200 mg/day over 14 days.

Nearly 70.5% of patients on rufinamide were on 2 concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and 29.5% on 1 concomitant AED.The primary efficacy measure of the study was to determine the change in partial seizure frequency relative to baseline. Secondary efficacy measures were total partial seizure frequency during the double-blind phase, the percentage of patients who experienced a > 50% reduction in partial seizure frequency every 28 days, and the change in secondarily generated seizures during a 28-day period.

Adverse events were also reported.The target dose was achieved in 68% of participants, with 82.1% achieving that dosage within the initial 7 days of the double-blind phase. No significant changes were reported in frequency of secondarily generalised seizure.Adverse events (AEs) reported in more than 10% of the study population included dizziness, headache, somnolence, nausea, fatigue, ataxia, vomiting, diplopia, viral infection, and abnormal vision.

Deaths occurred in 3 patients during the study, 2 in the rufinamide group and 1 in the placebo arm. However, none of the deaths were believed to be caused by rufinamide, according to the researchers.Severe adverse events occurred in 19.9% of the active treatment group, and 7.0% of the placebo arm, with the incidence of severe headache being the only noticeable difference between arms (5.8% in the rufinamide group, and 1.3% in the placebo arm).

Discontinuations due to adverse events occurred in 21 of 156 rufinamide-treated patients (13.5%) and 5 of the 157 placebo-treated patients (3.2%).

Warning for people suffering from Epilepsy

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning patients with epilepsy and their care givers of a possible hazard caused by cracks in the applicator tips of Diastat AcuDial (diazepam rectal gel) delivery systems.

The cracks can cause leakage during the application process thereby resulting in under-dosing of the drug, resulting in the patient not getting enough of the medicine to control seizures. Patients’ caregivers should call their local emergency response center or 911 for help in any seizure emergency.Diastat AcuDial pre-filled syringes deliver diazepam gel rectally in patients with acute repetitive seizures. If inadequately treated, such seizures can progress to a life-threatening condition in which seizures are continuous.

“FDA is working with the manufacturer to resolve this issue as quickly as possible, as this is the only product approved to treat patients with this condition at home,” said Dr. Steven K. Galson, Director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “However, with routine inspection of the product, patients will be able to get the correct dosage administered for treatment.”

Patients and their caregivers are advised to immediately and carefully examine their Diastat AcuDial pre-filled syringes for cracks in the applicator tip. The cracks can be seen easily. These inspections should be performed monthly, at the least. It is very important that patients and caregivers not remove the cap during inspection.

For detailed directions on how to inspect the products for cracks on the applicator tip without removing the cap go to www.diastat.com, and select the Alert box. You can also call Valeant Pharmaceuticals at 1-877-361-2719 for help or further information.

Cracked syringes should be returned to the pharmacist and exchanged for new ones free of charge.

To date, there have been more than 100 reports of cracked applicator tips in the 10mg and 20mg syringes. Overall, as many as six percent of syringes in some lots have shown cracks.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals of Costa Mesa, CA, manufacturer of the product, has sent letters to pharmacists asking them to inspect the product prior to dispensing, and inform patients about the need for routine inspections. The manufacturer has also sent letters to physicians who treat patients with epilepsy.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals believes that the source of the defects has been found, but the new version of this product will not be on the market until June or July. Therefore, current syringes will continue to be sold because there are no other treatment options available for this condition that can be given at home.

Coach back to work after suffering from seizures

Three months since losing part of a kidney to cancer, Southern Illinois football coach Jerry Kill is back at work, and as demanding as ever.

"I feel like I'm getting better each day," the 44-year-old Kill said Wednesday, a week after the Salukis began spring football. "I've been going hard and strong, and hopefully that will continue."
The health scare, in fact, may have emboldened the coach.

"He's definitely not taking it easy by any means," said quarterback Nick Hill, who will be a junior next season. "If there's been any change, he's got more energy and seems to have more drive, more desire."

"It seems like he's got a new passion and is just thankful for being out there, like he's living each practice like it's his last," Hill added.

At least publicly, Kill has been a rock since last fall, when he weathered a series of seizures that included one on the sidelines in the waning seconds of an Oct. 15 home loss to Illinois State. The university attributed the seizures then to an unspecified condition that occasionally manifested itself with such episodes but was not considered life-threatening.

Tests revealed Kill had cancer not long after the Salukis' biggest victory of last season - an Oct. 27 victory at Western Kentucky, then Division I-AA's top-ranked team.

Apart from his family and the athletic director, Kill kept his cancer secret. He didn't want to distract the team.

The Salukis' season ended Dec. 3 with a loss to Appalachian State in the quarterfinals of the Division I-AA playoffs. Kill had the tumor removed about a month later. Since then, he has taken several days off to spend with his wife, "but other than that I haven't changed any." Translation: Work, work, work.

"I haven't changed my hours, and I'm not working any differently than I've worked the previous 23 years of spring ball" at colleges in Kansas and Michigan, he said. "I haven't changed a whole lot."
No one's challenging that.

"From talking to the guys on the team, they say he's a man on a mission. His energy level and desire and passion haven't faded," said Joel Sambursky, who last season closed his college career with most of the Salukis' passing records.

Kill downplays his ordeal.

"There's a lot of people out there who have struggled a lot worse than Jerry Kill," he said. "I'm a fortunate man."

Man with seizures condition drowned

A MAN who suffered for years with epilepsy died when he drowned in a lake.Peter Black, 67, of Brunel Road in Stevenage died last New Year's Eve at the overspill lake in Fairlands Valley Park close to his home. An inquest into Mr Black's death was held last Thursday.The coroner's court heard that Mr Black had suffered from severe epilepsy since his twenties.

He had been suffering from minor seizures every day and he was having more and more major seizures. He also had trouble with his balance after being involved in a serious road accident when he was young.Vera Taylor, who lived with Mr Black for seven years, said he had two major seizures two days before he died which left him agitated and out of character.

The day after he was feeling better but the next day, New Year's Eve, he told Mrs Taylor he was feeling unwell and "felt like killing himself". Mrs Taylor told the court that Mr Black was a quiet, laid back man who didn't get depressed and that she did not believe he meant what he said and it was just an expression.He wanted to go with her to walk their dogs but Mrs Taylor suggested it was not a good idea because it was too cold for him and he had trouble walking.

When Mrs Taylor returned from her hour long walk at 8am, Mr Black was not at home. Mrs Taylor and a neighbour searched for him but eventually contacted the police. Sgt Neil Spencer from Stevenage Police Station attended their home and after a search saw a body in the middle of the lake.

A post mortem revealed Mr Black's cause of death was drowning. There was no evidence he had had a seizure on the day of his death, but the court heard that this did not mean a seizure did not take place. Deputy coroner David Pigeon said: "My conclusion is that Mr Black fell into the lake as a result of a seizure or loss of balance."

Trained dogs can sense oncoming seizures!

It was a sweltering July afternoon, the kind of day Asheville resident Jody Smith knew might bring on a seizure.

The victim of a brain injury, Smith was often at risk for attacks on hot days, especially when active. That day, Smith had performed music at an outdoor church function and knew she needed rest.
While Smith showered for an afternoon nap at her North Asheville home, best friend Heidi Neese played ball in the yard with Smith's cocker spaniel puppy, Micaiah.

Though typically a popular game with the pup, Micaiah seemed uninterested, opting to sit by the back door, as if to get Neese's attention. Neese decided to check in on her friend, but Smith assured her she felt fine.

Going back out to play, Neese still couldn't get Micaiah away from the backdoor. She stepped inside again only to find Smith on the floor.

"I should have listened to him the first time," Neese said.

Micaiah is a seizure alert dog, a special kind of service animal that can alert its owner of an attack before it happens, though Smith did not know this at the time.

A mysterious sense

Experts remain unsure about how certain dogs execute this special sense. The skill is not restricted to any one breed or conditions. Theory is the dogs pick up on the change in electrical signals associated with seizures.

Some say canines can be trained to alert, others insist it cannot be learned at all, only re-enforced.
In spite of the mystery surrounding "seizure" dogs," their legitimacy is generally affirmed among authorities in the field, said Peter Van Haverbeck, a spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation.
"There was a lot of skepticism about it at first, but now it's more or less accepted in the medical community that there is this phenomenon even though we don't understand it," he said.

For many pet owners, the alerting comes as a surprise, as it did for Smith.

Neese gave Micaiah to Smith as a pet, a gift Smith was reluctant about at first, already caring for two cats. Now Smith sees Micaiah as divine provision.

"I just thought that's the last thing I need is a dog ... but I really think God had another plan, he said, 'You need this so this is how we're going to get him to you,'" Smith said.

Micaiah also helps his owner lower the frequency of seizures. Before Micaiah, Smith says her life was a constant cycle of exertion and exhaustion. She pushed herself to stay active, neglecting rest and often forgetting her medication until she felt ready to collapse, increasing her likelihood of an attack.

"Life was just one episode rest, one episode recover," she said.

With training, Micaiah nudges her when its time for a nap and wears a vest carrying her medication, a constant reminder to stay on schedule. Smith says the dog has her on a routine, helping her regulate her energy so she can continue doing the things she loves without over-exerting herself.

"I have a life back," she said.

Trained to serve

Micaiah required some education to become Smith's full-fledged service dog. The dog was trained at A Good Dog's Life in Asheville and continues to take classes at Asheville Obedience Club, mainly to ensure he is well-behaved when serving in public.

Rick Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Carolina Canines, a Wilmington-based nonprofit that trains dogs to serve people with disabilities, says dogs can be trained to provide a variety of services for seizure sufferers. In addition to alerting, he says dogs can do everything from pulling the plug in a bathtub to fetching a cold cloth from the refrigerator after their owner suffers a seizure.

Still, he makes no guarantees to clients about a dog's ability to alert.

"You can put 10 dogs in a room with a person who is getting ready to have a seizure and one or two maybe able to pick up on the activities," he said.

"But a lot of it is picking up on what the dog is trying to tell you," he said.

Harrison says a dog's way of alerting can be as different as the individual dog, one standing in front of a door 12 hours before a seizure, another sitting next to the person within minutes.

Evoking curiosity

Everywhere they go, Micaiah gains an audience, Smith says.

Just leaving the parking lot of Sam's Club, Smith says three people may approach her, fascinated by her vest-clad cocker spaniel.

"He's so cute," a child says, petting him, "What does he do?" their parent asks.

Smith understands their curiosity but wishes people would not ask about her disability, the same as they wouldn't ask similar questions of someone with a guide dog.

Though dogs like Micaiah might enjoy the affection, Smith says it is important for people to realize that service animals should not be distracted from their work in public.

"The dog with the jacket on is doing a job," she said.

Surgery successful in treating seizures condition

In one of the largest epilepsy surgery studies ever conducted, Mayo Clinic researchers have found that 81 percent of patients with intractable epilepsy become totally or nearly seizure-free six months following epilepsy surgery. Ten years later, 72 percent remained totally or nearly seizure-free. Findings will be published in the April issue of Journal of Neurosurgery (http://www.thejns-net.org ).

"I think this is very exciting because the surgery not only can stop the seizures following the operation, but it can stop them for the long term," says Gregory Cascino, M.D., Mayo Clinic neurologist and study investigator.

Aaron Cohen, M.D., lead study investigator, agrees. "This shows us seizure surgery is durable -- it remains effective and safe over time." Dr. Cohen is a former Mayo Clinic neurosurgical resident who is now a neurosurgical fellow at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Epilepsy affects three million Americans. Thirty to 40 percent have intractable epilepsy: Medications alone do not control the seizures, and the seizures have a disabling effect on quality of life.

"All other forms of treatment, specifically maximum anticonvulsant treatment, have failed for these patients, " says Fredric Meyer, M.D., chair of Mayo Clinic Department of Neurologic Surgery and study investigator. "Often these patients are on two to three anticonvulsants and are still suffering from intractable epilepsy prior to surgery. "

To conduct this study, the researchers analyzed the cases of 399 consecutive patients who underwent epilepsy surgery to remove the focal region of their disease in the brain at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., between 1988 and 1996. There were 214 females and 185 males, and the average age at surgery was 30.

Prior to surgery, quality of life is poor for these patients, the Mayo Clinic researchers explain. "These patients typically can't drive or use dangerous machinery, have difficulties with work or can't work at all, or can't complete their education," says Dr. Cascino. "They usually would have several seizures per month and may be prone to having spells with loss of consciousness. They can injure themselves from seizures, drown or have sudden unexpected death due to epilepsy. "

Quality of life typically improves dramatically after surgery, says Dr. Meyer. "If these patients have improved seizure control after surgery, which most of them do, then there is an incredible paradigm shift toward a better quality of life," he says. "These patients break out from the stigmata of epilepsy and find employment, often drive, and lead a productive life."

Risk with epilepsy surgery is relatively low: 4 percent of patients studied had medical problems due to anesthesia or other neurological complications during surgery. Risk varies by seizure type, where the seizure focal region is located, and other factors, according to Dr. Meyer.

Though epilepsy surgery is not risk free, Dr. Cascino notes that patients with intractable epilepsy are continually at risk already before surgery due to their disease. "This is a big operation for a big medical problem," he says. "These patients are medically, physically and socially affected by their disease. "

Dr. Cascino says that it is cost-effective for society when surgery can stop a patient's seizures, due to the significant number of epilepsy patients who are unemployed or underemployed because of their seizures.

An appropriate candidate for epilepsy surgery is in good health, with the exception of epilepsy; is not responding to seizure medications; the region of the brain affected by the disease can be pinpointed; and the affected region of the brain can be safely extracted without damaging the surrounding area.

Though 30 percent to 40 percent of epileptics might be candidates, the surgery is underutilized, according to Dr. Cascino. He says the surgery is available at medical centers designated level IV comprehensive epilepsy centers by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (http://www.naecepilepsy.org ). For those who are not surgical candidates, other treatment options are available, says Dr. Cascino.

"Patients suffering from epilepsy should seek an evaluation at an epilepsy center and not give up hope," says Dr. Meyer. "There may be very excellent options to help them."

All about seizures

One night you hear kicking and crashing coming from the barn and think you have a cast horse. You run to see if you can help, and what you find is a horse down on his side paddling as if galloping on the ground. His head and neck are extended and his eyes are slightly rolled back in their sockets, showing more white than normal and moving back and forth in a quick side-to-side motion.

The horse does not respond to touch or sound and is oblivious to his surroundings. You can do nothing to help except to stay out of the way and ensure your own safety. The thrashing stops after 10-15 minutes that seem like hours. The horse stays down, is depressed, has a decreased response to stimulation, and acts somewhat blind. You call your veterinarian, who arrives and confirms that your horse had a seizure.

What I have described is the classic "grand-mal seizure." This article will discuss the various types of seizures and the disease states that can cause them.

What's a Seizure?

The most common seizure disorder is epilepsy, which is fortunately rare in the horse (it is actually controversial if "true" epilepsy actually occurs in the horse). There is little that can safely be done to help a 1,200-pound animal having a seizure.

To understand seizures, we need to review anatomy and physiology. Seizures occur when specific anatomical locations of the brain (forebrain and thalamus) are affected by some type of pathology. By definition, a seizure (also known as a fit, ictus, or convulsion) is considered abnormal behavior; seizures are physical expressions of abnormal electrical discharges in the forebrain neurons that initiate spontaneous, paroxysmal (spastic), involuntary movements.

The seizure event is broken into three phases--the pre-ictal, ictal, and post-ictal periods. Many people who suffer from epilepsy know they are going to have a seizure just before it happens. There might be a strange feeling or focal muscle twitching. The ictal phase or the seizure can be as mild (only muscle twitching), or it can be a full grand-mal seizure.

Typically the ictal phase only lasts 10-20 minutes unless there is an ongoing factor (such as a seizure occurring as a result of a severe allergic reaction) that prolongs the event. The post-ictal phase can last minutes to hours and generally consists of depression, an out-of-touch feeling with your surroundings (often called the "aura" in people), and blindness. The blindness is temporary and can last from a few hours in adults to a few days in babies.

What Causes a Seizure?

The pathology that causes the abnormal electrical discharges of a seizure can be varied and includes genetic abnormalities in the brain tissue (epilepsy), structural defects (tumors), traumatic insults, metabolic insults, and toxic insults.

The syndrome of inherited, recurrent seizures that continue throughout life without an underlying cause (disease process) is "true" epilepsy. Technically this has not been demonstrated in the horse, but it can be difficult to follow genetic lines in some cases and to diagnostically rule out all other potential causes in older horses.

What has been called "benign" epilepsy is a seizure condition of foals up to 12 months old and occurs in all breeds, but has a higher incidence in Arabians. If a seizure occurs in very young foals, it is very important to rule out other causes, as seizures in foals can be caused by various diseases (such as low blood sugar, septicemia, and hepatitis) that require specialized treatment. If there are no other abnormalities and the diagnosis is "benign seizure disorder of foals," the news is good as they typically outgrow the problem.

Adult horses have been reported to develop seizure disorders following a lightning strike.
Any structural abnormality, i.e. tumor, can cause seizures if it's in the correct location within the brain. A common tumor that grows in the forebrain (front section of the brain) of the horse is called a cholesteatoma. These are slow-growing tumors of the older horse and are frequently found incidentally at necropsy in horses that were neurologically normal, although they can cause seizures and other neurologic abnormalities. Unfortunately, the diagnosis can be difficult and expensive to confirm, requiring an MRI or CAT scan.

Another common brain tumor affecting the horse is a pituitary adenoma, which in addition to the familiar signs of Cushings (long, non-shedding hair coat, founder, excessive thirst and urination, etc.) can occasionally cause blindness, but not typically seizures because of the location of the pituitary gland.

Another cause of seizure is the accidental injection of various drugs into the carotid artery in the neck when attempting an intravenous (IV) injection. This is one reason why it can be very dangerous to attempt IV injections unless you have been trained by a veterinarian in the correct procedure. Within the neck just beneath the jugular vein is the carotid artery, which carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart directly to the brain.

Therefore, anything injected into the carotid goes directly and relatively undiluted to the brain. The intensity of the reaction can vary from a mild seizure to instantaneous death or prolonged coma, depending on the type of drug and how much of it went into the artery.

Another reason for untrained people to stay away from IV injections is that in addition to the vein and artery, there is a nerve bundle in close proximity. If caustic drugs such as phenylbutazone are injected outside the vein, they can cause nerve damage that can lead to paralysis of the larynx on the right side of the neck. For most situations involving drug injection into the carotid artery, there is no specific treatment. So, it is best to avoid the situation altogether and leave IV injections to your veterinarian.

There is also a variety of metabolic disturbances that can cause seizures. For example, altered concentrations of sodium in the blood can affect the electrical activity of the brain. A situation leading to this is when a horse has not had access to water for a few days--be sure to check the heated water tanks and automatic waterers in winter. Also, as the horse becomes progressively more dehydrated without loss of electrolytes (as when sweating), the blood concentration of sodium increases (hypernatremia).

The real trouble starts when the dehydrated horse is discovered and allowed free access to water--you do not want this horse to be rehydrated quickly. In this case, the brain tissue is slowly compensating for the increasing sodium concentration in the blood to maintain normal "electrical" function. If the dehydration is rapidly corrected, the blood concentration of sodium is rapidly lowered, but it takes more time for the brain to adjust. Now the brain has a higher sodium content than the blood.

Going back to a little basic chemistry, the osmotic (water) balance is mainly determined by the sodium concentration, with water typically going where sodium concentration is higher along the osmotic gradient. So water moves into the brain, causing cerebral edema (fluid swelling) and potentially seizures.

Very low blood concentrations of sodium (hyponatremia) can also cause seizures. This is most commonly observed in foals with severe kidney (renal) disease or water overload (water toxicity). Sometimes very young foals discover water and for whatever reason decide to drink enormous quantities, which can affect their electrolyte/water balance.

Low blood concentrations of calcium (hypocalcemia) can be associated with seizures. If your horse's diet is not properly balanced with an adequate amount of calcium, he can go into a hypocalcemic state. Equine diets with little roughage and a lot of grain are typically low in calcium.
Another cause of seizures to consider is toxins, including organophosphates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, strychnine, lead, bracken fern, locoweed, and tetanus.

Salt can also be a toxic element when eaten in extremes. Free-choice salt is mandatory for the good health of your horse, but every once in a while you have a horse that digs right in and polishes off a salt block in a few minutes. You have to take note and limit salt block access with such a horse. This situation could lead to a hypernatremic state and cause seizures by affecting the osmotic/water balance as previously discussed.

Treatments

If the seizures are being caused by a specific disease or toxicity state, then treatment will focus on that and the seizures will resolve with the problem. If they are mild and/or infrequent, your veterinarian might elect not to directly treat them unless they become more frequent or dramatically worsen.

The common treatment for seizures when the primary cause cannot be treated is the drug phenobarbitol (a powerful sedative). The response to this drug is variable; the goal is to figure out a daily dose that will prevent the seizures without sedating the horse to a point where he has a poor quality of life (a very fine line in some cases). With over-sedation, a horse can become so lethargic that it is hard to get him to leave the stall. Another difficulty with therapy is that the drugs become less effective over time, requiring adjustment of the dosage.

Other human anti-seizure drugs have been used on horses, but have difficulties associated with expense, maintaining an effective dose, and toxicity. In addition, these drugs and phenobarbitol can cause liver disease, so frequent monitoring of liver function is necessary.

Dangers to Humans

Another aspect of having a horse that seizes in the barn is that they can be extremely dangerous to be around. They can become quite violent and have no control over a flailing 1,200-pound body, and neither do you. The safest thing to do is to get out of the stall and shut the door. Depending on where they are when having a seizure, the horse can bang himself up quite badly, and it can be very alarming to watch.

Some owners maintaining a horse who has seizures will heavily pad the stall in an effort to limit self-injury. The seizures typically happen unpredictably, but some owners can tell when one is approaching by subtle behavioral changes in the pre-ictal phase (often only minutes before the actual seizure). Every case is different, but caring for a horse that has seizures can be very taxing and place you in a situation with some liability should he hurt someone while having a seizure.

Take-Home Message

Seizures are not normal--if your horse has one, contact your veterinarian immediately. There are causes that can be reversed, and disease processes that can be treated. Above all, try to protect yourself and your horse from injury during and after the seizure.

A bad attitude towards Epilepsy can hurt more than this medical condition

There's a sign in front of the Epilepsy Support Centre on Riverside Drive. Some people don't like it.

This is what the sign says: "Your attitude hurts more than my seizures."

A couple of callers phoned the centre and complained about the sign. Maybe they think it's insulting or offensive. I'm not sure.

According to spokesperson Mary Afentoulopoulos, one guy said he was so upset by the sign that he'd never support the organization.

"But we think it gets the message across," says Afentoulopoulos. "Attitude is a huge problem."
Attitude? About epilepsy? What kind of negative attitudes could possibly exist about a neurological disorder?

Let me tell you.

* Afentoulopoulos says one centre member had been working at his factory-type job for 10 years when a new manager was hired. When the new manager found out about the worker's epilepsy, he forced him to wear a bicycle helmet. Co-workers started making fun of the man. Then, after months of insulting abuse, the man verbally lashed out at one of the teasers. The man with epilepsy was fired.

* Fifty-seven per cent of 620 people surveyed at the Western Fair a few years ago indicated that when aiding a person having an epileptic seizure, they should put something in the person's mouth so they don't swallow their tongue. (This is dangerously false. Not only is it impossible to swallow one's tongue, but putting an object into the mouth of someone in seizure could damage their teeth and jaw, or cause them to choke.)

* Alex Shteiman says a former roommate told him that, until he met Shteiman, he thought people who had epileptic seizures were "retarded."

Those are just some of the attitudes that sign is talking about. Here are some more:

* Some people think epilepsy is a mental illness. (It isn't.)

* Some people think epilepsy is a contagious disease. (It isn't.)

In the past, epileptic seizures were believed to be caused by witchcraft, demons, feeble-mindedness and even masturbation. (And no, it isn't.)

In fact, about one per cent of the population lives with epilepsy, which translates into roughly 3,500 Londoners. Afentoulopoulos says most of those people live relatively normal lives.

Shteiman is a good example. The 22-year old University of Western Ontario history student suffered his first "tonic-clonic" (or grand mal) seizure -- an incident usually involving the entire body and loss of consciousness and muscle control -- about five years ago.

"It just happened one day, out of the blue," he says, snapping his fingers. "Just like that."

Shteiman was in his Toronto home one Sunday morning, getting ready to take a shower. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the floor, surrounded by his parents and paramedics.

Shteiman has since had four other seizures -- one while pumping gas during a long-distance drive, and another about a month ago while writing a mid-term test at Western.

Though epileptic seizures can vary from short staring spells to full-body convulsions, all of them are caused by a brief electrical disturbance in the brain.

Shteiman now takes medication twice a day to control his seizures. And he no longer drives. But overall, the young man insists his epilepsy is nothing to get worked up about.

"To me, it's not a big deal any more," he says.

"I've learned to deal with it. I mean, it's frustrating when it happens and it's had an impact on my life because of the precautions I have to take.

"But all in all, the message I'm preaching is that I'm pretty much the same as everyone else."

If you do see someone having a seizure, experts recommend you:

* Protect the person having the seizure by moving hard or sharp objects away and loosening tight neckwear

* Stay calm and let the seizure run its course (don't restrain the person)

* Roll the person onto their side to let fluids drain away

* Afterward, comfort and reassure the person, who likely will be disoriented.

On the rare occasion when a seizure lasts more than five minutes, call for medical help.
And remember -- a bad attitude can be more hurtful than a seizure.

Brain surgery puts an end to seizures

A medical breakthrough has put one Eastern Iowa man back behind the wheel. Tim "TJ" Jensen has suffered from weekly seizures for 23 years. He had to give up a portion of his brain to get his driver's license back.

TJ Jensen remembers that feeling he used to get right before a seizure strikes. Jensen says, "Butterflies in my stomach. You can feel it coming before it actually happens."

Jensen's mother, Cindy, adds, "If he was just sitting with a group of people, people might not even notice he was having a seizure. But I could tell, by the look in his eyes."

The Solon man has suffered from Epilepsy since he was four-years-old. Medications tamed the seizures for many years. But life was unpredictable. "And they just kept on getting worse and worse till November 28th of 2003, I think, when I wrecked my truck," says Jensen.

Jensen doesn't remember driving his old truck off a bridge. That accident led him to the Iowa Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Neurosurgeons spent a year studying Jensen 's brain. One test required Jensen to stay overnight in a specially-designed patient room. For two weeks, Jensen lived in the room with electrodes and wires attached directly to his brain.

UIHC Neurosurgeon Dr. Matthew Howard says, "Instead of just being able to detect enormous epileptic discharges we could then record the individual little impulses from single brain cells in the brain. So that was quite a breakthrough."

From those tests, doctors determined that three parts of Jensen's brain caused the seizures. So they removed them. "And he's got the scars to prove it. He's very proud of those scars," says his mother.

The 28-year-old has been seizure free for fourteen months now. "I can drive," says Jensen. Getting his driver's license back is a new beginning.

His mother says she's very proud. "He's going to buy a house and he's going to be on his own and he wouldn't have had that before." Jensen and his doctors say his future is very promising.

The most fascinating part of Jensen's experience is the research doctors conducted on his brain. While doctors waited for him to have a seizure, they used the implanted electrodes to study brain function. These experiments have led to international research projects at University Hospitals in Iowa City.

Teens, Epilepsy and depression are linked!

Teenagers who have epilepsy often face a double whammy because along with the seizure disorder, they're much more prone to depression and other psychiatric problems.

In fact, up to 60 percent of all teens with epilepsy will experience depression or another psychiatric illness, according to a new study in the March issue of the journal Neurology.

What's worse, only about 33 percent of those teens will receive treatment, according to the study. That lack of treatment may put teens with epilepsy at a higher risk for suicide as well. The study reported that up to 30 percent of people with epilepsy had attempted suicide, compared to about 7 percent of people without the disorder.

"Kids with epilepsy are sort of hit twice," said Dr. Sigita Plioplys, a pediatric neuropsychiatrist in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "There's an enormous stigma associated with epilepsy, and they may feel ashamed or burdened by having epilepsy. And mental disorders also have a profound stigma attached to them. Many kids will tend to minimize their depressive symptoms until they can't function any more."

Dr. Gary Trock, director of pediatric neurology at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., said teens with epilepsy aren't the only ones who tend to minimize their symptoms.

"Parents are often hesitant to ask for a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist because of the stigma associated with it," he said, adding that the problem can be compounded if the family's health insurance doesn't pay or severely limits payments for mental-illness care.

As many as 2.7 million Americans have epilepsy, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. It is a neurological disorder that causes seizures or brief blackouts. The disorder varies in severity, with some people experiencing occasional seizures, while others have frequent seizures. Most seizures can be controlled with medications, though the side effects -- sleepiness, slowed mental function -- can be hard for some people to tolerate.

In a recent study of adults with epilepsy, 85 percent said their medicine was effective at controlling their seizures, but almost two-thirds said their medicine's side effects keep them from "living the life they want to live."

According to the Neurology report, it has been known for some time that teens with chronic illnesses are more likely to suffer from depression. However, the association between teens with epilepsy and depression appears to be even stronger.

That's probably true for a number of reasons, suggest the study authors, from the University of Liverpool in England. One reason may be that epilepsy and depression are affected by the same neurotransmitters -- the brain's chemical messengers that help tell the rest of the body what to do.
But, Plioplys noted that researchers really don't know for sure why there's such an increased risk of depression in teens with epilepsy.

"Depression is a multi-factorial illness. There are biological factors, psychological and social factors that cause depression. We can't state that one factor is most prominent in causing depression," she explained.

One thing is clear, however. The more seizures a person has, the more likely they are to experience depression. About 9 percent of people with epilepsy struggled with depression, according to one study highlighted in the new review. But among those with frequent seizures, the depression rate jumped to 21 percent.

The bottom line, said both Trock and Plioplys, is that parents and medical professionals need to be aware that depression and an increased risk of suicide are common among teens with epilepsy, and they need to be on the lookout for signs of depression.

"These children are vulnerable and at risk," Plioplys said. "Depression can go unnoticed for months and years, and the high risk of suicide is a very dangerous condition."

She said medications for seizure control may mask depression because one of the common side effects of some drugs is sleepiness. Fatigue and excessive sleeping are often hallmarks of depression. But in a teen on seizure medication, it can be hard to know what's a side effect of the medicine and what's a sign of depression, she explained.

Irritability, anger, learning problems, regressive behavior and oppositional and other conduct-behavior problems can all be signs of depression in teens.

"If your child is sullen, angry, withdrawn, spending less time with friends, and school grades are declining, don't just write it off as a moody teenager or something that will pass," Trock said.
Both Trock and Plioplys said it's important to get treatment, either with psychotherapy or medications.

And, Plioplys added that, although it can be difficult to get an appointment with a child psychiatrist because of a shortage of qualified doctors, it's important to get your child help. Psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and even your child's neurologist can be a good place to start, she said.

Pregnant teenager and her baby saved!

Because of a high school bomb scare, the lives of a pregnant teenager and the child she was carrying were saved. Now the two police officers who helped save them have received commendations.

Police Chief Butch Asselin and local health officials said Sgt. Johnson Sargent's and School Resource Officer David Daig-neault's quick action averted what otherwise would have been a tragedy.

When a bomb scare alert was sounded at Skowhegan Area High School two weeks ago, the usual process was set in motion. The school was evacuated, police and fire officials arrived, entrances were blocked and a search inside and outside the school began.

That's when Sargent and Daigneault found her, a 16-year-old girl slumped in the passenger seat of a vehicle, unconscious and unresponsive.

"She appeared to be having a seizure. She couldn't speak, and she was obviously in distress," Johnson said. "We didn't know exactly what was wrong."

The police officers suspected she could be diabetic because they saw a lot of sugar products in the vehicle. They also considered that she may have ingested drugs.

"We knew it was a medical emergency of some kind," Daigneault said.

The passenger-side door was locked, but Daigneault said they were able to enter the car through an unlocked door. It was then they discovered the girl was pregnant. Investigation would later reveal that the girl had been acting oddly earlier that March 16 morning and had refused to go into the school building. Some of her friends had checked on her during the morning, but she had not been exhibiting symptoms then.

"The irony is that she had been there since morning," Daigneault said. He said it was unlikely he or anyone else would have seen her in the car if they had not been searching because of the bomb scare.

"Somebody was looking out for her from above," Daigneault said.

The officers summoned emergency medical personnel and the girl was taken to Redington-Fairview General Hospital, where she was rushed into surgery for an emergency Caesarean section. She gave birth to a 6-pound, full-term baby, according to Asselin.

Asselin said he was contacted by a supervising nurse at the hospital: "She said if it had not been for the officers' actions, the girl and her baby would have perished."

In a letter to Asselin, nurse manager Geneva Sides wrote that the two officers had "acted in a prompt and professional manner" to get emergency help for a young woman who was having seizures because of complications of her pregnancy.

"This simple act of doing a thorough job saved the lives of that young woman and her infant daughter," and, she wrote, both officers should be commended "for the caring and professional consideration they showed in a potential life-or- death situation."

Asselin agrees.

"They actually saved this girl's life," he said. "It just shows the quality of people we have working for us -- well-trained, topnotch. The town is very fortunate to have them working here," said Asselin, who gave them copies of Sides' letter and recognized them at a recent department meeting. He also announced their efforts at a selectmen's meeting Tuesday night.

Sopranos stars help out family with surgery bills!

Tony 'Paulie Walnuts' Sirico and Joseph 'Vito Spatafore' Gannascoli joined more than 1,000 people at a Long Island pub and brought posters autographed by the cast and a script from the pilot to auction off for money to help with the family`s medical bills, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

'It`s a chance to help a little kid and his family,' Sirico said.

Joseph Hopkins has undergone a series of brain operations in an effort halt seizures caused by tuberous sclerosis, a disease that causes tumors to grow throughout the body, the newspaper said.

The boy`s father, a New York police detective, is now facing a mound of medical bills not covered by insurance.

A fund has been set up in New Jersey: The Joseph Hopkins Medical Fund, c/o The National Police Defense Foundation, P.O. Box 318, Englishtown, N.J. 07726.