Missing woman suffers from seizures disorder

A Beaverton family is searching for their missing mother who has a history of seizures.

Beverly Joyce Johnson, 69, disappeared Saturday. Beaverton police say surveillance video shows her arriving around 11 a.m. at the Beaverton City Library. She left around 3:30 p.m. and hasn't been seen since.

Her family says that when suffering a seizure, Johnson is unable to identify herself or communicate with others.

Johnson was driving a 1999 dark purple, four-door Honda Accord with Oregon plates XDN 364. She was last seen wearing tan pants and a white winter jacket.

Johnson is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. She was wearing a brown, wavy, ear-length wig and has hearing aids in both ears.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact police.

Woman suffering of seizures receives donations for service dog

For once, Karen Morin has a reason to cry tears of joy.The 43-year-old Glendale woman has struggled with lifelong health problems that have left her disabled. Since an article about Morin and her service dog, Woody, appeared in The Arizona Republic in mid-January, readers have contributed more than $18,000.

The donations, organized by two groups, will help fund Woody's long-term veterinary care, grooming, food, future training and equipment. "I'm just so overwhelmed," Morin said of the outpouring of support. "I never would have imagined that my medical mayhem could make me feel like the luckiest person on Earth."Morin's medical history spans nearly 50 surgeries, more than 30 related to her temporomandibular joint, or TMJ.

The TMJ makes it possible to chew, swallow, speak and make facial expressions. In the 1980s, Morin received synthetic TMJ implants to correct a congenital jaw deformity. Those implants disintegrated and sent toxic particles throughout her body, leaving her disabled.Morin now suffers from epileptic seizures, nerve damage, joint pains, cognitive problems and a damaged immune system, among other issues. Woody, who assists Morin when she has seizures, developed severe allergies that require weekly grooming and expensive medical treatment.

He also needs additional training and special equipment, such as a harness. To help raise money, Hallis Anderson of the Glendale Evening Longhaven Lion's Club set up a fund for Karen on behalf of Lion's Club International. In two weeks, Anderson has received $16,215, with checks ranging from $5 to $5,000. "Her story has touched so many people," Anderson said. "Several people have called to give her prayers, with many crying on the phone."Donations, accompanied by cards with heartfelt notes and well wishes, have come from around Arizona and across the country, including Alaska, Massachusetts and Missouri.

The Orthodogs' Silver Lining Foundation, an Oklahoma-based organization that raises funds for dogs with medical needs, also stepped in. Since The Republic article, OSLF has received $3,100, of which $1,975 is designated for Woody. The rest will go into a general fund to help other dogs. Brenda Osbourne, OSLF's treasurer, said the organization is working with a donor who wants to contribute $600 a year for Woody's long-term care."We're completely blown away with the response," Osbourne said. "It's just wonderful." Morin's health problems began long before she needed a service dog for her seizures.

She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 3. By age 10, she had an ileostomy, in which doctors removed her colon and rectum.Morin underwent a hysterectomy at 27. The worst pain stems from her never-ending TMJ problems. She received titanium implants in 2001, but last year those metal plants started to shift. Now, the broken implants could puncture her ear canal or brain. For five months, she has battled with her insurance company, which denied coverage for replacement implants. "As a result of people's generosity and compassion, I have one less major worry," she said. "That is I know Woody is now taken care of."

Young artist with history of seizures receives award

When Donovan Harris was small, doctors told his mother that his disabilities were so severe that he would never ride a bike or learn to tie his shoes. They were wrong. At age 18, Harris continues to deal with life-disrupting seizures. But thanks in no small part to three older brothers, he has grown up to be a warm, funny young man who can ride his bike - and create award-winning art.
His sculpture Seizure Boy recently received the Edward G. Brown Award, one of seven special awards given as a part of the 2007 Eastern/Central North Carolina Scholastic Art Awards.
In this case, special is not a euphemism for people with disabilities. Special means that Seizure Boy was chosen from among 2,070 works of art that middle- and high-school students in 62 of North Carolina's 100 counties submitted to the competition.

Judges - who knew nothing about the students - evaluated each piece on quality and the expression of the student's voice. They chose 207 works to receive Gold Key Awards. From among the Gold Key winners, they chose the pieces to receive the special awards. Harris' award was named after a longtime professor at Barton College in Wilson.

"It is a big deal," said Lynn Foltz, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools' arts-education manager for visual arts, dance and theater. "It's exciting to see a student excel in an area that gives him a high level of accomplishment when he has challenges in other areas."

It has definitely given Harris a psychological boost.

"All of a sudden, I'm doing good with this," he said.

Harris' brothers are grown and on their own. He and his mother, Pamela Lillard - whom patrons of the West End Cafe will recognize as a longtime waitress - share a house in Pfafftown. The awards ceremony was held this past Sunday in Wilson. To get there, Harris and other members of his family hopped into a limousine that Lillard rented to celebrate the occasion.

Harris is a junior at Mount Tabor High School, where he has worked with art teacher Mike Spangler. In the introductory art class that Harris took, Spangler said, he has students explore a variety of areas to give them a chance to find a format that elicits a spark. Drawing and painting did little for Harris. But when Spangler brought out the clay, something clicked.

Seizure Boy has gone through several incarnations. The first version was a small bust with wires sticking out wildly from the head. For Harris, the wires represent the energy shooting off him as a seizure comes on.

To simplify conversations, Harris just tells people that he has epilepsy. The more complete story is that his seizures are associated with hydrocephalus, a congenital condition in which fluid builds up in the cranium. It can damage the brain, and, by the time the condition was diagnosed when he was 3 and a shunt put in to relieve pressure, damage had already been done. He also has cerebral palsy and cannot control his left hand as well as he would like.

Medication helps control the seizures, and he may go a week or two without having one. But he knows that sooner or later another will come. Sometimes he has sufficient warning - he likened it to a change in the weather inside his head - so he can make it to a padded spot such as a couch.
At times, it's as though he leaves his body as a seizure begins.

"I can see another one of me next to me," Harris said.

Over the years, he has been in and out of the hospital.

"The hospital is my second house," he said. "I should have my own suite there."

In watching her son deal with his challenges with grace and humor, Lillard said, she has learned a lot.

"He has taught me patience and understanding," she said.

Seizure Boy has also gone through a lot. After that first Seizure Boy bust was done, another student accidentally knocked it off a table in Spangler's classroom. Spangler said that he felt so bad about it that he put a lot of attention into helping Harris make a second Seizure Boy - this one a statue.

After that was done, it fell over - on its own - and smashed. Spangler was dismayed and would have understood if Harris had become discouraged. "Most of my students would have said, 'To heck with you, Spangler.'"

But Harris just set to work making another one, Spangler said. "He's got fortitude to come back and do it again and do it again, which is the main ingredient for success in just about anything."
In retrospect, Spangler said, the second accident was - in a way - a good thing because the next Seizure Boy - the two-foot-tall sculpture that won the award - was all Harris' work.

Why did Spangler choose it to be submitted to the Scholastic Art Awards program?

"I just thought it was neat," he said. "It was expressive. It was a little different."

School has been a challenge for Harris. Besides spending time in the hospital, he may lose a couple of school days here and there recovering from seizures when they come in clusters.

Plus, he has difficulty retaining information. To help him with school and to be there if he does have a seizure, a medical assistant - Kim Patrick - goes with him from class to class during the school day, and she sometimes helps at home after school.

Patrick said she is delighted to see Harris express himself through art.

"Honestly, I think it's a great way to turn something negative into something positive," she said. "I hope that Donovan can make something of this."

So do Harris and his mother. Because of the seizures, he will never be able to drive. And the seizures make it hard for him to imagine taking a job in which he could have a seizure in public. So the idea of a job that he could do at home - such as being an artist - is appealing.

A chance for Winston-Salem residents to see Seizure Boy in the flesh is coming up. The sculpture will be included in a show at Salem College's Fine Arts Center from Feb. 14 through March 13.
As a regional winner, Seizure Boy will be considered for the national Scholastic Art Awards in New York. Whenever Harris uses the word "if" when talking about the possibility of winning at the national level, his mother says that it's not if he wins, it's when he wins.

But even if "when he wins" turns out to be a "perhaps next time," she hopes that the positive attention that Seizure Boy has brought her son "will give him the confidence to continue to create."

Some patients may predict their seizures

Some patients with epilepsy can reliably predict when they are likely to have a seizure, says a study by the Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.

Many patients report they can identify periods of increased risk for seizure, but this has not been prospectively tested before, says study author Dr. Sheryl Haut of the Montefiore Medical Center. Fifty-seven patients were asked to keep a daily log in which they predicted how likely they were to experience a seizure in the coming 24 hours.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, found the patients correctly predicted about 32 percent of their seizures and 83 percent of their seizure-free days. Seizures were twice as likely to happen in the 24 hours following a positive prediction, says Haut.

The study found a subgroup of 12 patients in which seizures were more than three times as likely following a prediction, says Haut. While these patients were younger and had a higher seizure rate, no other factor stood out as a likely reason for their higher accuracy.

Epilepsy awareness is a "must" for people to avoid tragedies

On behalf of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York Inc., I would like to say I was heartened by the recent selfless act of a New York City man who jumped down onto live subway tracks to save a stranger who fell onto them after experiencing a medical problem ("Subway rescue hero says risk was worth it," Jan. 4).

It was a welcome reminder that there are still good people in this world, as well as a stark note that we must raise awareness of seizure conditions -- such as epilepsy -- so bystanders will know how to respond. Such knowledge may prevent other near-tragic events in the future.

On behalf of the more than 3 million people living with epilepsy in the United States, and the 40,000 people living with epilepsy in northeastern New York, we thank Wesley Autrey for saving the life of Cameron Hollopeter.

Seizures can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time -- they can even happen to people who have never had them before. There are many different types of seizures, both convulsive and nonconvulsive, and most people attempting to help someone experiencing a seizure will more likely harm than help that person.

First aid for a seizure is very simple: Keep the person safe until the seizure ends naturally after a minute or two. The Epilepsy Foundation's Web site (http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org) is full of helpful information for people who live with epilepsy, their caregivers and the general public.
Your sharing of this information with readers can help save lives and bring epilepsy out of the shadows.

Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish to a young girl suffering from a seizure disorder

Mackenzie Snyder is looking forward to seeing the "horsies" at Walt Disney World.

The 8-year-old was chosen to travel to Walt Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"She likes carousels. We're all very excited," her mother, Shelly Snyder, said.

Mackenzie is looking forward to riding the horses on the carousel, and she wants to see Cinderella. "We saw 'Disney on Ice' yesterday, and she liked Mickey Mouse," Ms. Snyder said.
Mackenzie was born with fluid on the brain and cerebral palsy. When she was one year old, she had her first seizure.

Mackenzie, whom the family calls Kenzie, was nominated for a wish by Brenda Szumgraji, her nurse's supervisor. Cindy Hively is the nurse who works with Kenzie, a second-grader, at White Deer Elementary School.

A couple of weeks ago, Make-A-Wish Foundation volunteer Nancy Weigle of Pottsville traveled to the Snyders' New Columbia area home to sign them up for the trip they plan to take in May.

"We will be staying at the Gingerbread House of Give Kids the World," said Ms. Snyder. She explained that the Gingerbread House is a resort hotel with medical equipment, special beds and a kitchen to provide special diets such as Kenzie requires.

Kenzie takes medicine and is on a Ketogenic diet to help limit the number of seizures.

During the first six months Kenzie was on the special diet, she didn't have any seizures. Now she has them daily.

In school, she uses a wheelchair. At home, she gets around by crawling.

Making the trip with Ms. Snyder and Kenzie will be Kenzie's sister, Brittany, 15, who is a ninth grader at Milton Area Senior High School, and Kenzie's dad, Ken. Brittany has been to Disney World twice before with her aunt.

Brittany is looking forward to showing us the things she has seen, Ms. Snyder said.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation provides wishes to children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 who have life-threatening conditions.

The wish can involve going on a trip, meeting someone special or receiving something that is needed.

When Ms. Weigle visited, she gave Kenzie a white bear with a pink ribbon and the family Make-A-Wish T-shirts and hats.

While they are gone, Kenzie's grandmother Agnes Rathfon of Lewisburg will be baby-sitting their new puppy, Miken. Her other grandparents are Rox and Ken Snyder of Lewisburg.

For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wishgreaterpa.org. or call 1-888-545-9474.

nE-mail comments to kblackledge@dailyitem.com.

Young hero with promising future dies of seizure in her sleep

Nikki Blanton had a dream of being a doctor. But the 26-year-old, who was injured in a traffic collision last year after helping pull a man from a wrecked car, didn’t get to see her medical dreams come true.Blanton, a resident of Grayson, died last week in her home while she was sleeping, according to Blanton’s mother Alina Himelick.Himelick said Blanton’s death was caused by a seizure in her sleep.“

She went to bed at 10:30,” her mother said “She wasn’t feeling well, and she never woke.”Many view Blanton as a hero, including a local district attorney who honored her for her act of bravery.“She wanted to be a doctor, and you know how doctors are — they’re very caring people,” Himelick said. “I would say that she was an outstanding citizen, that she was a pillar of the community and she was going to serve people the rest of her life.”

Himelick also said Blanton wanted to use her experiences as a way of helping people in the medical profession.“She thought this happened to her to be a better doctor, not only a sympathetic doctor but an empathetic doctor.”As for her injury, she and boyfriend Brian Crowl stopped to help the man out of his vehicle on an interstate, and soon after, both were struck by a hydroplaning vehicle and injured.Blanton was still recovering from her injuries at the time of her death, her mother said.

“She was in a lot of pain,” Himelick said of Blanton’s condition. “I think she was living on borrowed time — I mean nobody gets hit by a car driving 60 miles an hour and lives.”Himelick also said Crowl proposed to Blanton the night she fell asleep for the last time.Blanton suffered from a family disease that among other things caused her to have recurring seizures and nightmares, Himelick said.

“The disease that we have comes with seizures, and she was on overload,” Himelick said. “She had a good attitude the whole time, but she was in a lot of pain.”Blanton, a graduate of South Gwinnett High School and the University of Georgia, was an active cheerleader and an honors student in high school, her mother said. She also held down full-time jobs while attending college at UGA, where she graduated with honors.

Teen loses battle against seizures

Anthony Cheresnowsky once told Landstown Middle School football coach Tracy Wertz that he wanted to be the next Percy Harvin.

"No, you want to be the next Anthony Cheresnowsky," Wertz replied.

Anthony, 13 and a seventh-grader, died Monday at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters before he could challenge Harvin in the record books.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS-Viewing: Tonight and Friday from 6 to 9 at Altmeyer Funeral Home, 5792 Greenwich Road-Service: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Revival Church, Norfolk-Reception: A potluck dinner will be served after the funeral service at Landstown Middle SchoolWANT TO HELP?A memorial fund in Anthony Cheresnowsky's name has been set up at Chartway Federal Credit Union. Go to any Chartway location, mention his name and account number 95333900 to contribute.

CORRECTION: The original version of this story gave the incorrect name of Crystal Cheresnowsky's church, where Anthony's funeral service will be held. The church is Calvary Revival Church, not Calvary Bible Church. The service will be held at 2:30, not 2.

He was hospitalized with seizures on Nov. 12, four days after scoring the only touchdown in Landstown's 7-0 victory over Bayside in the Virginia Beach Middle Schools championship game. He never regained consciousness.

"Anthony was in the same mold as Percy," Wertz said, referring to the former Landstown High All-American and University of Florida star. "He was phenomenal. I'd almost bet my reputation that he'd make it in the pros."

Anthony lived in Twin Canal with his mother, Crystal Cheresnowsky, and twin sisters, Alicia and Alexis, 11.

Crystal is a security guard at Green Run High School, but hasn't worked since Anthony became ill. She long ago exhausted her leave, as well as 20 days donated by fellow employees.

Recently, her car broke down. She receives aid from her church, Calvary Revival Church, and United In Him, an affiliated ministry with offices near the Cheresnowskys' home.

A fund has been established at Chartway Federal Credit Union to help the family.

Jackie Andrews and Vicki Stephenson, workers with United In Him, frequently split shifts to be with Crystal at the hospital.

They spent much of their time at Anthony's bedside, talking to him and praying for a miracle. Andrews believes their prayer was answered, although not in the manner they hoped.

"I talked to a lady at the hospital whose 9-year-old son was going to be operated on for a brain tumor, and it disappeared," she said.

The Cheresnowsky family in happier times: Alexis, left, Crystal, Anthony and Alicia.

A sudden sickness

Anthony's official cause of death was meningoencephalitis compounded by seizures. The illness simultaneously resembles meningitis, an inflammation of the outer cover of the brain, and encephalitis, an inflammation of brain cells or the brain itself.

The first sign that anything was wrong occurred Nov. 7. Anthony complained of a headache that night, and stayed home from school the next morning, the day of the middle schools championship game.

He went to school later that Wednesday, and felt well enough to play in the game. The next day he had a fever of 103, and Crystal took him to an outpatient emergency facilit y. He was diagnosed with a virus, given ibuprofen and sent home, Crystal said.

Anthony felt well enough that Friday and Saturday to go out with friends, but returned early on Saturday and went to bed at 4 p.m. He awoke Sunday, Nov. 12, with seizures.

He was transported to Sentara Princess Anne Medical Center by ambulance and then taken to Children's Hospital in Norfolk.

Doctors tested him for myriad diseases ranging from AIDS to Cat Scratch Fever, before settling on meningoencephalitis, Crystal said.

Meningoencephalitis isn't normally fatal, said Dr. Svinder S. Toor, a pediatric neurologist with Children's Specialty Group and one of Anthony's doctors. Anthony's case was complicated by the seizures.

"Encephalitis can abate, but seizures are intractable," Toor said. "They put a lot of demand for energy on the brain cells. Eventually, the body can't supply that energy, and cells begin dying."
Toor doesn't know how Anthony contracted the disease.

"It's a very, very complicated case," he said. "We see it once in awhile. This is not the first one we haven't been able to control.

"It's very unfortunate. Anthony was very healthy, very fit."

Anthony Cheresnowsky scores for the Woodstock Panthers in a 2005 Virginia Beach Parks and Rec league game.

A rising star on the field

Crystal can't remember the last time her son was sick. Her abiding memory of Anthony is that of a robust, confident athlete.

Anthony ran track in three AAU Junior Olympics and played basketball. But his first love was football.

He was a member of two teams last fall - both champions. Anthony rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and scored 18 touchdowns in seven games for Landstown.

He was also on the Hampton Roads Wolfpack, which won an American Youth Football title in December. AYF is a national organization, similar to Pop Warner, and holds its championships in Lakeland, Fla.

Anthony's favorite players were Terrell Owens, Michael Vick and Reggie Bush.

"He (thought) he was T.O. (Owens)," Crystal said. "The thing he liked most was scoring touchdowns. If he couldn't touch it or run it, he'd pout."

Anthony enjoyed the attention that went with being a star.

"He was cocky," Crystal said.

He also had a reputation as the class clown, but sometimes took a joke too far.

"Anthony was the most active, energetic kid you could meet," said Andrews, who met him four years ago. "But sometimes he was disrespectful."

He was transferred to the Center for Effective Learning during sixth grade, but was allowed back at Landstown in the fall.

"His teachers said he had turned it around, and was being a positive influence on other kids," Andrews said.

A pall has hung over the house since Anthony became ill.

"I miss his smile, his personality," Crystal said. "He kept the house going and kept me on my toes."
Christmas was subdued last month. Crystal celebrated with the girls in the morning - "I tried to act happy," she said, "and then went to visit Anthony.

"I didn't get him any presents. I was going to wait and spoil him when he got home."

Anthony wore No. 11 for Landstown Middle, the same number that Harvin wore for Landstown High.

"Anthony was one of those rare kids," Wertz said. "He had great speed, great agility, great field awareness.

"It took three or four players to bring him down, and he would fight until the last second."

Anthony fought meningoencephalitis for 65 days, and no one would deny he went out a champion.

Child suffers from rare seizures disorder

Sitting in his wheelchair, 10-year-old Alex Mutz slowly slumped back, turned his body to the side and let his jaw drop.

The medications he takes every day stop the shaking, but his mother had seen it enough times to recognize it for what it was. Alex was having a seizure.

"It's very normal for Alex to seize four, five times a day," Amy Mutz said, rubbing his shoulder with a comforting hand as the seizure began to pass. "This is not unusual for him at all."

Alex suffers from a genetic disease so rare, doctors were unable to diagnose him for the first nine years of his life. His parents knew he would never be able to walk or talk, but were unsure of what was causing his constant seizures, and they still do not know his life expectancy.

But far from distraught, they said the generosity of their home community of Vernon has allowed them to improve his quality of life, pay his medical bills and equip their house so Alex can live at home, not in a hospital.

"Without this community, we probably would have fallen," said Alex's father, William Mutz. "With their love and compassion, they have propped us up."

Alex has Aristaless Related Homeobox (ARX) Syndrome, a genetic disorder that often manifests itself in epilepsy, mental retardation and dystonia, or involuntary muscle movement.

Not everyone with ARX Syndrome shows all of these symptoms, but Alex has one of the most severe cases.

"Alex is one of the more severe children that I've treated in my career," said Dr. Stephen Thompson, chief of pediatric neurology at Hackensack University Medical Center. "And his seizures and muscular problems, unfortunately, are not going to go away. This is a life-long genetic condition he is facing."

Bill Mutz, a Vernon police officer, first noticed something was wrong with his son when he was three-and-a-half months old, when Alex suddenly stopped crying and started shaking.

"I picked him up, and holding him there, I knew he had a seizure," Bill said. "I'd never seen one before, but I knew."

Alex was taken to Morristown Memorial Hospital, where his family was first told that the seizures would continue for the rest of his life.

"The doctor took us into a room and told us he'd never go to school, he'd never go to the prom, he'd never have a girlfriend," Bill said. "Basically, that he'd never have a normal life."

But for years, Bill and Amy did not know exactly what Alex was suffering from. Although they knew he had epilepsy, it was only in September 2005 that the ARX Syndrome was discovered, when Alex was flown to the Hackensack Hospital due to almost uncontrollable extended seizures.
"At that point, we really thought he wasn't coming home," Amy said. "We really thought we were going to lose him."

The dystonia that led doctors to discover the ARX was actually concealed for years by the seizures. Alex's doctors and parents never discovered it because they believed the involuntary muscular movement were simply caused by the seizures.

"His head, arms and legs would just rock back and forth," Amy said. "Sometimes, it would happen so much that he would be rubbing his skin raw."

Dr. Stephen Thompson described ARX Syndrome as an "exceedingly rare condition." He said only about 3 percent of American children suffer from a seizure in their childhood, and the number of those who experience ARX is far less than that.

The disorder is genetic, but Alex's condition is the result of a "spontaneous mutation." Neither of his parents carry the genes that result in ARX, and neither of their other two children —son Jadon, 6, or daughter MaKenna, 2 — have it.

"Without question in my mind, the only reason Alex is doing as well as he is today is because of his parents' excellent care," Thompson said. "They're keeping a chronically ill child in their home with the rest of the family, and they are maintaining a great quality of life under very difficult circumstances."

Bill had built a 115-square-foot customized bedroom for Alex, equipped with a medical oxygen supply, a hospital bed, feeding tubes and a meter to measure Alex's oxygen and heart rate. Bill also expanded the bathroom by 36 square feet and customized the shower tub so Alex could use it.

But Bill said credit belongs not to him but the community who has provided him with emotional and financial support.

All of the $15,000 needed for the house adjustments was provided by fundraisers from the Vernon Volunteer Fire Department, the Vernon United Methodist Church and the Gooch's Garlic Run, a yearly motorcycle-run fundraising event from the international law enforcement organization, the Blue Knights.

"When you look at all these people raising money for people they don't even know, and expecting nothing in return, it's a beautiful thing," Bill Mutz said. "It's really given us hope."

The fundraising efforts have also helped the Mutz family pay Alex's extensive medical bills, but they said the emotional support — from prayers and words of encouragement and offers to baby-sit — have been equally helpful.

"This is why the church exists," said Alec Park, pastor of the Vernon Methodist Church. "Why else does a church exist if not to alleviate suffering and help people under heavy duress?"
Doctors have not been able to determine a life expectancy for Alex.

"There's no answer to that, that's why we take it day by day," Amy said.

Seizures may have cost him his life!

The body of a Manhattan man with a medical history of violent seizures was pulled yesterday from a creek in Central Park.

A Parks Department worker found Donald Bond, 44, lying facedown in the water at 8:30 a.m., police said.

There were no signs of foul play, police sources said, but the medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Bond had been injured before during epileptic seizures, according to his sister, Jane Morales, 42.
"This man fell out of a window and got up and walked into the building. Two buses hit him, a cab hit him and he fell down a flight of stairs," she said. "But a walk in the park took him away."

Bond was last seen alive at 9 p.m. Monday when he left his Third Ave. apartment after arguing with a roommate.

He was found inside the park off W. 77th St. in a desolate section of the Ramble, which is known as a gay pickup spot.

Keppra is more popular in Europe as treatment for Epilepsy

EC approves new indication for Keppra® as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of primary generalised tonic-clonic seizures in patients with Idiopathic Generalised Epilepsy.

The European Commission (EC) has approved Keppra® (levetiracetam), as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of primary generalised tonic-clonic (PGTC) seizures in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with Idiopathic Generalised Epilepsy (IGE). This new indication represents the fifth EU approval for Keppra® in epilepsy, and the second EU approval for Keppra® in a generalised seizure type.

Keppra® is already indicated in Europe as[1]:

- Monotherapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures with or
without secondary generalisation in patients from 16 years of age
with newly diagnosed epilepsy

- Adjunctive therapy for partial onset seizures with or without
secondary generalisation in adults and children from 4 years of
age with epilepsy

- Adjunctive therapy for myoclonic seizures in adults and
adolescents from 12 years of age with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
(JME).

'PGTC seizures are the most serious seizure type within the generalised epilepsies. In the well-controlled trial supporting this indication, relatively high PGTC seizure freedom rates were observed with Keppra® in previously drug refractory patients. This significant new approval supports a broad spectrum of efficacy, and adds to the growing data and patient experience with Keppra® as adjunctive therapy across partial and generalised seizure types.' said Professor Perucca, University of Pavia, Italy.

Clinical Data

The efficacy and tolerability of Keppra® in patients with refractory idioipathic generalised epilepsy (IGE) experiencing PGTC seizures has been demonstrated in a clinical trial presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society in San Diego, U.S., December 2006.

The study was a 24-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study of adjunctive Keppra® including 164 patients, age four to 65 years (adults, adolescents and a limited number of children) experiencing refractory idiopathic generalized epilepsy with > =3 PGTC seizures over an eight week baseline. Keppra® was up-titrated over four weeks to a target dose of 3000 mg/day (60 mg/kg/day for paediatric patients), and the target dose was then evaluated over 20 weeks.

[2] More patients receiving Keppra® in this study experienced at least a 50% reduction in PGTC seizure frequency per week compared with placebo (72.2% versus 45.2%; p < 0.001).

[2] High seizure freedom rates for patients taking Keppra® compared to those taking placebo were also observed over the treatment period (24.1% versus 7.1% (p = 0.004) [2].

Keppra® was well tolerated and fatigue was the adverse effect most commonly reported. With continued long-term treatment, 47.4% and 31.5% of patients taking Keppra® were free of tonic-clonic seizures for at least 6 months and 1 year, respectively.[1]

'Since Keppra® was launched in 2000, as adjunctive therapy for partial onset seizures, the clinical development program has focused on an ever widening range of seizure types. This latest approval for Keppra® is a further step towards our goal of seizure freedom, with minimal side effects, for as many people with epilepsy as possible,' said Troy Cox, President CNS Operations, UCB.

About Keppra® in Europe[1]

Keppra® is indicated as monotherapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation in patients from 16 years of age with newly diagnosed epilepsy; as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation in adults and children from 4 years of age with epilepsy; as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of myoclonic seizures in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with JME and as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of PGTC seizures in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age with IGE.

In monotherapy the most commonly reported side effects were fatigue and somnolence. As adjunctive therapy in adults with partial onset seizures the most commonly reported side effects were somnolence, asthenia and dizziness. As adjunctive therapy in paediatric patients (4-16 years of age) with partial onset seizures the most commonly reported side effects were somnolence, hostility, nervousness, emotional lability, agitation, anorexia, asthenia and headache.

In adults and adolescents with myoclonic seizures the most common reported side effects associated with Keppra® in combination with other AEDs were headache and somnolence. In adults and adolescents with primary generalised tonic-clonic seizures the most common reported side effects associated with Keppra® in combination with other AEDs was fatigue. Keppra® is also indicated for intravenous administration and is available as 100 mg/mL concentrate for solution for infusion. The most common adverse events from Keppra® intravenous use were dizziness, somnolence, headache and postural dizziness. Please consult local prescribing information.

About Keppra® in the US[3]

Keppra® tablets and oral solution are indicated as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures in adults and children 4 years of age and older with epilepsy and as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of myoclonic seizures in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Keppra® is associated with the occurrence of central nervous system adverse events including somnolence and fatigue and behavioral abnormalities, as well as hematological abnormalities. In adults experiencing partial onset seizures, Keppra® is also associated with coordination difficulties.

In pediatric patients 4-16 years of age experiencing partial onset seizures, the most common adverse events associated with Keppra® in combination with other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were somnolence, accidental injury, hostility, nervousness and asthenia. In adults experiencing partial onset seizures, the most common adverse events associated with Keppra® in combination with other AEDs were somnolence, asthenia, infection and dizziness. In adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, the most common adverse events associated with Keppra® in combination with other AEDs were somnolence, neck pain and pharyngitis. Keppra® is also available as an intravenous formulation for the adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy.

Keppra® injection is an alternative for patients when oral administration is temporarily not feasible. The adverse events that may result from Keppra® injection use for partial onset seizures include all those associated with Keppra® tablets and oral solution. For the U.S., prescribing information is available at www.keppra.com.

About UCB

UCB (www.ucb-group.com) is a leading global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialisation of innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in the fields of central nervous system disorders, allergy/respiratory diseases, immune and inflammatory disorders and oncology - UCB focuses on securing a leading position in severe disease categories. Employing over 8,300 people in over 40 countries, UCB achieved revenue of 2.3 billion euro in 2005. UCB is listed on the Euronext Brussels Exchange. Worldwide headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium.

Epilepsy and its symptoms

Epileptic is the medical term used to denote people who have any one of a number of disorders characterized by seizures. But not everyone who has seizures has epilepsy, because other conditions can result in seizures. Head trauma, high fevers, high or low blood sugar, electrolyte abnormalities (like low blood salt), and drugs and alcohol all can cause people to have seizures. In those folks, the existence of a precipitating factor usually means that by treating the underlying cause, you do away with the seizures.

However, in many cases, epilepsy refers to seizure disorders not precipitated by an identifiable cause. The types of seizures vary from person to person, but the most common is the grand mal seizure, which causes the person to lose consciousness, fall to the floor and experience a stiffening of the body, followed by "jerking" movements of arms and legs.

It usually lasts from one to two minutes. After this, he will be difficult to arouse from what appears to be a deep sleep.

Witnessing such a seizure can be frightening, because during the seizure, the person may lose bladder or bowel control or injure himself by biting his tongue. Although this is alarming, understand that most seizures are self-limited. This is why it's crucial to protect the person during the seizure and get appropriate help afterward.

For those diagnosed with epilepsy, someone around you should know you have the medical condition. That way, in the event of a seizure, people can respond calmly. It's not nearly as frightening when people know about the disorder.

For more information, log on to epilepsy.com.

Epilepsy is a common, treatable condition that manifests itself with symptoms that can be startling. However, knowing what to do when a seizure occurs lowers everyone's anxiety level and ensures a better outcome for the person who has epilepsy.

Father accused of death of daughter after causing her seizures

A man who tried to stop his four-month-old daughter crying by shaking her until she was unconscious caused injuries that resulted in her death 13 years later, a coroner has ruled.
But because Melissa Bennett died more than a year and a day after the injuries were inflicted, no one could be charged. Melissa died last February as a result of epilepsy caused by brain damage. She was taken to hospital in 1993, and again 2½.

Mr Bennett admitted placing a pillow over his baby’s head and shaking her violently. He was later jailed for grievous bodily harm with intent. Until 1996 no one could be charged with causing a death if a year and a day had elapsed after the injuries. The Act repealing the rule was not retrospective.

Woman suffering from seizures gets all the help that she needs and more...

Margot Hogan of Benton called not too long ago, wanting to know if she could talk to me about a fund-raising effort she has planned. Though such efforts usually are not one of my favorite subjects for columns, I told her to send me information by e-mail and then we could talk.

She did me one better. She wrote me a letter telling me her story. (Regular readers know I am a romantic advocate of letter-writing, even if I survive via e-mail.)

Margot began having seizures about three years ago. First, she contracted spinal meningitis. then it developed into encephalitis. She has had hundreds of them, some times several in succession. She said she tried to work, even earning her certified nursing assistant license, but was unable to keep a job (at Arkansas Health Center and Saline Memorial) because of her seizures. When it was at its worst, her daughter, Holly Edwards, now 21, quit her job and stayed home with her for a while. Eventually, though, Holly moved to Versailles, Ky., where her father lives and she works as a CNA.

Margot filed for SSI, getting help after 4 1/2 months, and stayed at home, near Harmony Grove School, where her son, Cody Edwards, played baseball. Cody brought home a golden Labrador he bought from Coach Lane Chancellor. As often happens,, she said, the task of caring for the dog, Chipper (after baseball player Chipper Jones) or Chip, fell to her, the mother. She and the dog became constant companions. She said she noticed that they seemed to have a special bond after she twice had a seizure when she was at home with him.

“Once, I was on my way to the mailbox and had one. When I woke up, I was lying on the ground and Chip had his head lying across me, like he was protecting me.

“He never left my side if I had a seizure - and I had hundreds of them with him. Eventually, he began to try and alert me when I was about to have one. ... We had a bond that allowed him to sense when I was a few minutes from having one.”

The family went to Bandera, Texas, over Thanksgiving to visit Margot's sister and her family. While they were there, Chip was struck by a car and killed.

“I was devastated,” Margot said. “I was so used to having Chip there with me that I lost all my confidence.

“My fiance, Mike Brown, said, ‘God has things happen for a reason. We just don't know the reason sometimes.”

Margot began going to Heber Springs during the week while Mike was working on a construction job there. She met a woman who told her about Southwest Service Dogs, a group that trains animals for people who need them, including seizure dogs, who help people in the same situation as Margot.

She has applied for a dog and begun talking with Kate Morgan of Fort Smith, who trains the dogs. The group does not guarantee every applicant a dog, but tries to find a match. Applicants who receive dogs are not asked to pay for their animals.

But the group does operate by donations only. Because SWSD is trying to assist her, Margot said she has decided to raise money for them.

“It's the least I can do,” Margot said. “A dog and its training can cost between $10,000-20,000, so I thought I would try to raise money for them while I am waiting. I may never get a dog. It depends on whether they find a dog that bonds with me. There are a number of steps to go through.

“But they are trying to help me, so I decided that I should help them in the meantime.”

Information on Southwest Service Dogs is available on the group's Web site, southwestservicedogs.org. The address for sending donations is listed there.

As her story continues, we may check in occasionally on Margot and her progress.

Mike Dougherty is city editor of the Courier. His column appears Sunday and Thursday.

Epilepsy did not prevent woman of obtaining diploma

A woman who overcame epilepsy by having part of her brain removed has just graduated with a doctorate in clinical psychology.Alicia Hancock had to endure up to ten seizures a day as a teenager. They could happen anywhere at anytime without any warning.

She had surgery at 17 and while it affected her short-term memory, she never let it get in the way of her ambitions.Now after living in the United States for a few years she's back, armed with a new qualification and a drive to help other people who are going through difficult times in her job at the Employees Assistance Programme.Dr. Hancock, 31, who lives in Warwick, will never forget her earlier years.

She started having seizures at age 11 and had to be put on medication, which left her tired and irritable. But it was the fact she had a good, strong support base around her that made the condition manageable. She said: "I didn't really feel too different or out of place. I swam competitively, played netball and softball. My friends pretty much knew what was going on and they had a mature attitude towards it."But she did miss out on some things, like staying out late or riding a motorcycle.

"My parents were protecting me," she said.At 15, she went to the United States for tests, which is when she was diagnosed with Temporal lobe epilepsy, the most common form of the condition. "My neurons were misfiring, why or how is still a bit of a mystery," she said. "It could be genetic but my parents went all the way back in the family tree and there was no history of it."The tests were conducted to see if she was a suitable candidate for surgery. The procedure, an anterior temporal lobectomy, came with risks.

Research showed that out of 48 patients who had the operation between 1965 and 1974, 21 stopped having seizures and three were free of seizures for at least 19 years. The remaining eight had never been completely free of seizures or had died before the study began.The surgery could also interfere with memory, vision, language and movement. Dr. Hancock, nee Mullan, had the surgery at the New England Medical Centre in Boston. It was a complete success.The only area she had to work on was her memory, which she continues to do today.

Sometimes she has to repeat things over and over again to remember them, but says it's not a "significant loss."Four years after the surgery, Dr. Hancock, who has been married to husband Steve for seven and half years, swam for Bermuda in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpa, Malaysia.She went on to study for her doctorate at Spalding University in Kentucky. Dr. Hancock returned to Bermuda in October and looks forward to offering people the same level of support she received during her difficult teenage years.

She said: "Having the seizures significantly affected my life, but I didn't let them control my life."Today, as a result of what I went through, I see building on someone's strengths rather than their weaknesses as really important and I want to be a part of that. I want to give back the support I gained."

Drugged toddler suffered from seizures

An 18-month-old child was rushed to the hospital for being under the influence of methamphetamine Friday, the Santa Clara Police Department reported today.
Originally police responded to a home on a medical report of a child suffering from apparent seizures and found the toddler under the influence of methamphetamine, according to police.

The child was transported to O'Connor Hospital, where staff there reported that both the mother and child were under the influence of methamphetamine.

The mother was arrested and booked at Santa Clara Police Department and the child was turned over to Child Protective Services, police reported.

Bleak Christmas with seizures became one of the best ones!

“This was my toughest Christmas ever, but I can honestly say it was the best Christmas.”That’s what 3V Chemical Co. worker Tommy Barnhill said Tuesday as he continues his recovery from a Nov. 4 plant accident that claimed the life of one worker and injured Barnhill and another man.The past two months, Barnhill said, have been the most challenging of his life, but it has helped him see the love and generosity of his fellow man.

Barnhill was hired at 3V in February 2006. It was a second career as he has also spent the past 14 years as a minister.He said the day of the accident was a normal day. That is, until an urgent distress message came across the walkie talkies inside the plant letting them know two of their co-workers, Jason Altman and Keith Gibson, were stuck inside a dryer that is used to dry acetone, a flammable chemical.Barnhill and several other men frantically worked to get the men out. Gibson was the first brought to safety.

Altman, who was alert, helped to get Gibson out of danger.Once Gibson was out of the dryer, the workers rushed him to the front gate where they were waiting for the ambulance to arrive.“I carried him on my lap on a golf cart. He was not breathing and we couldn’t get a heartbeat. I prayed for him and after we got

Ahim in the ambulance someone asked if all the men were accounted for. That’s when we realized Jason was still in the dryer,” Barnhill recalled.The workers rushed back to the dryer.“I still had (Gibson’s) shoes in my hands. I threw them down and went to help get Jason,” Barnhill recalled. kBarnhill was hoisted upside down inside the dryer and another worker went down and passed Altman to him and he then helped get him to the surface.

Altman’s lifeless body was handed to workers outside the dryer. Moments later, Barnhill passed out from breathing in the chemicals inside the dryer, he recalled. Even while they worked to try to revive Altman, the 3V employees scrambled to get Barnhill away from the dangerous chemicals. Their work saved his life but he was not out of danger.

The ambulance driver — while en route to the hospital with Barnhill who began having seizures for the first time in his life — had to pull over twice and assist the EMS workers because Barnhill’s heart had stopped.“I remember hearing one of the paramedics say ‘we are losing him,’” he remembered.Once they arrived at the hospital, Barnhill and everyone in the ambulance had to be decontaminated before they were allowed to enter the emergency room.Barnhill was in and out of consciousness while he was in the emergency room.

At one point, he became alert enough to ask what happened to Jason Altman. No one would tell him. A little while later, Barnhill’s wife, Cindi, was allowed to be by her husband and she told him that Altman had been killed.Tears over tragedy On Tuesday, as he talked about that tragic day, Barnhill began to cry as he talked about Jason Altman, a man he had known years before he began working at 3V.“It’s ironic because me and Jason’s daddy, Ronnie, grew up together. We were childhood friends,” Barnhill said.

Barnhill’s tears were mixed with a look of joy Tuesday when he talked about something that happened while he and Altman were working a couple of weeks before the accident.“One morning at about 2 a.m. I led him to the Lord. He became a Christian. So I knew he was OK. He had the best Christmas he could have had,” Barnhill, a Baptist minister, said. The conversion, he said, took place in the company’s canteen.

He said Altman started asking him about the ministry.“He said me and my wife need to get more active in church. I told him to let go and let God take care of the rest. He started bawling and asked Christ into his heart,” said Barnhill, adding Altman was the 10th worker he had prayed the salvation prayer with since he was hired.The thing that still brings Barnhill to tears is when he thinks about the family Altman left behind.“He had a wonderful wife and was the spitting image of his daddy. In fact, the first time I saw him I called him Ronnie,” Barnhill said.

Road to recoveryBarnhill’s health is much better now than it was in the days following the accident but he still has a long way to go.He spent four days at a hospital in Columbia. During some of that time he was on life support. He still has to visit various doctors’ offices as often as three times per week.The seizures he suffers from time to time are not caused by epilepsy.“They are chemical-induced seizures,” he said. However, it is still unknown what the exact chemicals were that Barnhill breathed in while he was in the dryer.

Those answers may not be known until Altman’s comprehensive autopsy is complete, which could take several more weeks.“I have to be seizure-free for at least six months before I can get my license back,” he said.The doctors told Barnhill he will be on medications for at least three or four years.“They have to get my body’s electrical system back on track,” Barnhill said.Doctors are also concerned about Barnhill’s lungs. “They say my lungs were burned.

They called me a high risk patient.”Even though Barnhill is able to get out of his house more often than he could about a month ago, there are still restrictions on where he can go. When he is in a store, he has to avoid any areas that have chemical products such as lawn and garden or perfume departments.“If I get around those things, I get short-winded,” he said.Cindi Barnhill said her husband’s accident has had a major impact on their entire family.

Their 16-year-old son spends a lot of time driving his dad around.“It has turned our world upside down,” she said.She said her husband has received a lot of support from his co-workers and his immediate supervisors, but has not received any calls from the upper management of the company.The Times has also left numerous messages with a company spokesman but those calls were never returned.The family has hired attorney Robert Maring to represent them in any legal action that may take place as a result of the accident.In the past eight weeks, the Barnhills have only received two worker’s compensation checks.

Heartfelt thanksMrs. Barnhill said because of the timing of the accident, she thought it was going to be a bleak Christmas for her family but because of the generosity of Georgetown County residents, it was a joyful season.Barnhill said as he was being wheeled from the emergency room to the intensive care unit at the Georgetown Memorial Hospital, the halls were full of his co-workers and friends who were there to show their concern and offer any support and help his family needed.“If it had not been for the people in this community, we would not have made it,” he said.

Mr. Barnhill, during his career as a minister, has filled in from time to time at several churches in Georgetown County such as Ringle Heights Baptist, Spring Gully Baptist and Johnson’s Chapel.During his ministry years, Barnhill collected numerous offerings for others in need. This has been the first time his family has been on the receiving end.“We have now been on both ends of the spectrum,” Mrs. Barnhill said. “It has been overwhelming.

Churches we didn’t even know existed and people we don’t even know have sent us love offerings. People in Georgetown really know the true meaning of Christmas. They have definitely shared the Christmas spirit with our family.”Mrs. Barnhill said “it’s a privilege to live in this town where people are so caring and loving.”

Sunday school classes from different churches and some businesses have “adopted” the Barnhill family to help them make it through this difficult time.“We just want to say a very big thank you to everyone,” Mr. Barnhill said. “We will never be able to express how much everyone means to us.”

Seizures and other disabilities: Dad has high hopes for new legisture that could help son's future

Ted Kuntz has his fingers crossed that a new savings plan for people with disabilities will win approval in the House of Commons in a budget vote in February so he and his family can help provide financial security for his son, Josh.

“Children with a disability are consistently outliving their parents,” said Kuntz, a director of PLAN (Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network). “Our social safety net didn’t anticipate that.”

The Tri-City man, whose 22-year-old son suffers chronic seizures and needs 24-hour care, said he applauds the recommendations of a federal panel to establish a Registered Disability Savings Plan under the Income Tax Act. It’s expected to cost $112 million a year and would be for the severely disabled who are unable to work.

Family members and friends would be encouraged to contribute to the savings plan for living expenses and special needs of the disabled person. Their contributions would be matched by the federal government. Kuntz said it’s a recognition that governments should partner with families to provide financial security for disabled people, most of whom live in poverty.

“We need to be able to do this together,” said Kuntz, a psychotherapist and author who also writes a monthly column for The Tri-City News.

Although there are no tax benefits for the contributor, federal contributions would be tied to income, with low-income families getting larger matching grants. The fund would be allowed to grow to a lifetime maximum of $200,000.

The plan, modelled after the Registered Education Savings Plan, isn’t as rich as registered retirement savings plans, which gives participants credits toward their taxes, but Kuntz said it’s a good first step. His group, which helps families organize long-term care for their disabled grown children, is collecting names for a petition in support of the plan.

If the minority Conservative government’s budget fails in a non-confidence vote, Kuntz expects the move would still be supported by other parties because it’s a “motherhood and apple pie issue.” But the proposal, championed by Finance Minister James Flaherty, who has a disabled son, would probably be delayed.

Still, there are other hurdles, Kuntz said, because in B.C., unearned income is clawed back dollar for dollar from disability payments, currently $780 month.

“The province has got to get on board,” Kuntz said, noting that under the present system, he can’t contribute to his son’s support without the government reducing his monthly disability payment.
In a meeting with Flaherty, however, Kuntz said he was reassured the B.C. government is sympathetic and will likely participate in negotiations on the issue.

In the meantime, Kuntz said he would like to see the province overhaul the social safety net so disability payments aren’t lumped in with welfare, which is supposed to be temporary. For Kuntz, whose son spent several days at Royal Columbian Hospital last month while doctors tried to stop constant seizures, making sure Josh is financially secure is not a short-term affair.

What can you do to protect your pet during a seizure?

Sudden seizures can be frightening to you, but life-threatening to your pet.

Almost any animal can suffer a seizure, but dogs and cats top the list, says Dr. Alice Blue-McLendon, a veterinarian in Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Blue-McLendon says a seizure is defined as an uncontrolled event of electrical activity within the brain. These impulses from the brain can cause uncontrolled movement to other parts of the body, and the result can be muscle contractions, severe shaking, convulsions, possibly progressing to a coma-like state. The cause of these electrical events is still a mystery in both animals and humans.
“The good news is that most seizures in animals last only a short while, usually only a minute or two,” she says. “Anything over five minutes is considered a life-threatening situation and the animal needs medical attention immediately.”

Seizures are classified into two broad categories—generalized and partial.

A generalized seizure occurs when the animal’s limbs become stiff with paddling movements. The animal may fall on its back or side, have excessive salivation and can have a bowel movement.
A partial seizure often involves movement of one portion of the body, such as facial or limb twitching. The animal may act like it is trying to catch a fly. Evidence of a partial seizure may be the beginning of a generalized seizure.

If an animal has more than one seizure, the event is termed epilepsy. Epilepsy can occur from an unknown cause (asymptomatic) for which there may be a hereditary basis, or from a known cause (symptomatic).

Asymptomatic epilepsy is most common in dogs and cats between 1 and 5 years of age, and may have a hereditary basis, Blue-McLendon adds.

Certain breeds such as German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, dachshunds, collies and beagles are prone to having hereditary epilepsy. “If epilepsy is inherited, it can be passed on to the next generation, and there is a lot of research being done on this very topic,” she notes.

Examples of symptomatic causes for epilepsy include toxicity (sometimes from flea products), infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies and brain tumors. “If a dog or cat is 5 years or older and suffers from seizures, there may be a greater likelihood of a brain tumor,” Blue-McLendon explains.

Research has shown that if a seizure lasts longer than 30 minutes, the odds of surviving are reduced.

“If a seizure does occur, the first thing to do is not to panic,” she says.

She adds: “The owner should make sure that the animal can’t hurt itself, such as knocking its head against a hard object or falling down a flight of stairs. And you should never put your hand down the animal’s throat even if it appears to have trouble swallowing. That will do more harm than good with potential risks of being bitten.”

Treatment for seizures usually involves short-term and long-term therapies, Blue-McLendon explains.

Valium is the most commonly used drug to stop a seizure, and there are other drugs used such as phenobarbital and potassium bromide.

“An animal that suffers from seizures can still live a relatively normal life,” she adds. “The goal of treatment is to decrease the duration, severity and frequency of seizures. Early intervention with medication will most likely provide better success in the long-term seizure management of a pet.”