Toddler has miracle recovery with medecine that controls his seizures

The wait for the ambulance seemed like an eternity.Amy and Christopher "Perry" Williams panicked as their nine-month-old son Jalen was unresponsive. He finally arrived at the hospital in Orangeburg, and doctors weren't sure what was wrong. He had been running a fever that night, and his older sister had a bout with meningitis.

Maybe that was it.So doctors gave Jalen a spinal tap. They took urine and blood samples. Unable to insert an IV in his arm, they stuck it in his neck. All the while, he was having a seizure, and nobody realized it.He ended up spending three days in the hospital after being transferred to Palmetto Richland, where he was diagnosed with having a seizure.

It was the beginning of a journey for Jalen that has seen him be on the brink of brain surgery to an active, talkative three-year-old starting preschool at Guinyard Elementary today."I'll take some pictures," Amy said of Jalen's first day of school. "Some moms cry when they drop their babies off to day-care or school for the first time, and I'm not going to say I'm not going to cry, but I sure will be glad to get him in school. It is a blessing. He's been through a lot, overcome a lot."

Jalen's journey started when he was just 2 weeks old. His pediatrician examined him and saw something in his eyes."Jalen went for his two-week checkup," Amy said."Two-week checkup," Jalen says, mimicking his mother."The pediatrician examined him and didn't like what his eyes were doing. Also his head was a little large for his age, so they sent us to a pediatric ophthalmologist. She ordered an MRI, and she referred us to another doctor who looked at the MRI and told us he had a brain abnormality.

The right back quadrant of his brain basically did not develop."Jalen began seeing a pediatric neurologist. The couple was told that the worst-case scenario would be that Jalen would be developmentally delayed and wasn't going to walk until he was three. "That was a lie," Perry chimed in.And if Jalen walked, he would need assistance. After his first seizure, he had a seizure about every two weeks."It was scary," Perry said."It was very scary," Amy added.

"If you never saw him have a seizure, you would never know what they looked like. He wouldn't jerk. He had focal seizures, where he would stare off into space. When they first started, they would last from the time we noticed them until the time we got to the hospital and got Ativan in him. The longest was 45 minutes. After an extended time, his right arm and foot started twitching because he had been seizing so long."With both parents working and three other children at home, it was a very stressful time. Amy said she was weary of leaving Jalen with anyone for fear they may not recognize when he was having a seizure.

Then there were the countless trips to the hospital, watching him go into and come out of seizures. Once, on the way from an eye appointment for Jalen, while Amy drove on the interstate, he began having a seizure and she had to quickly get him to a hospital. It was a life of unpredictability and fear, and that was just for his parents and family members. No one will ever truly know what Jalen went through."I just thought this was going to be something that was just going to take over our lives," Amy said. "I couldn't leave him with anybody.

It was scary leaving him in day-care because nobody knew what they (seizures) looked like. I couldn't concentrate at work. Going out without the kids was unheard of ..."Jalen interrupts. His brother and sisters have taught him how to do a popular dance called the "Soldier Boy." He wants to show his mom so he jumps around and pumps his fist as if he were on a motorcycle."At one point, we wondered if one of us would have to quit work to stay home with him," Amy continued, smiling.

Recalling all of the medications, doctor's appointments and hospital visits is like being on a merry-go-round. And, really, while doctors have pinpointed the problem, there's still no name for it. But when asked about the medications Jalen has been on, Amy can name them all. And spell them, too."What really got scary was after the first seizure. They put him on Trileptal, and he kept having them, so they increased the dosage. He still had them," she said. "Then he was put on Keppra and was still having them.

In October of 2005, he was admitted to the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta where they induced a sleep-deprived seizure. They wanted him awake so they could see what part of the brain was causing the seizures. That was scary. He was hooked up to all these monitors and had his head wrapped up like he had brain surgery so he wouldn't pull them off. He had been in the seizure for five minutes before the nurses even noticed. They gave him Dilantin. When he was discharged, he was on three medications.

He stayed on all those and also had a prescription for another so that instead of rushing to the hospital, we could administer it and it stopped the seizure."That medication was called Diastat. Amy still had some in her medicine cabinet.It's hard to pinpoint when the turning point for Jalen was. He's defied most expectations. He hasn't had a seizure since March 2006 and been weaned off all his medicine except one, the Trileptal he started with which is controlling the seizures. He walks, runs, does flips and had some mad wrestling moves.

He knows his colors, can count to 10 and loves books. He talks and talks and sings and dances and talks some more."He's done miraculous," Amy said. "He's learned to speak -- you have to really listen to him to understand what he's saying; some things are clearer than others (like when he yells "Johncena" -- his favorite wrestler -- as he does a move on an action figure he has). He'll repeat anything you say.

His vocabulary is picking up, and he surprises me with some of the things he's been asking like 'Mommy what you doing' or when I pick up my purse he says, 'Mommy, where you going.' He understands deals. I told him once 'If you're a good boy and take a nap, Mommy will take you to McDonalds.' He went to sleep because he wanted to go to McDonalds. It was the first thing he asked when he woke up."Jalen's last visit to the doctor's office was July 30, and he got a good report. With all he's been through, Amy needed the doctor's blessing before he started school."The neurologist thinks he's doing well, and I asked for his blessing for Jalen to go to school," she said. "He said, 'Oh, yes. That's the best thing for Jalen, to interact with kids, his vocabulary will pick up.' He feels like he will do just fine.""The doctors say with some tender love and care, speech therapy, that boy will be alright," Perry said proudly.Still, Amy has concerns, and who can blame her. She's worried about the teachers understanding Jalen and exercising patience if they don't. And she's worried about his medication. He has to take it twice a day, and it tends to make him sleepy."I don't want him to fall asleep during instruction," she said.Perry has the same sense of uneasiness, for Jalen and for the teachers.."Through all he's been through, I can truly say I'm proud of him," he said. "God has brought him a long way and blessed him. I hope he continues to bless him. The teachers have to deal with him, and I hope they exercise patience because it is a task dealing with Jalen. I'm just ... I'm very proud of him just to see him doing things the doctor and some people didn't think he could do. Most of all it's going to be a challenge for Jalen going to school, not only for us but for the teachers. It shows that doctors don't have the last word."Now, Jalen is a thriving three-year-old, asking every question he can think of and getting into everything he can get his hands on. He surely doesn't remember all he's been through, but his parents do, especially his mom."I was with him at all his visits," she said, thinking of what it will be like to watch him go to school with everybody else. "I watched him get stuck. Perry always had to leave the room. He couldn't stand to see it. I was there when they put that IV in his neck."Jalen whizzes by, and she engages him in an impromptu school session."How old are you?" she asks."Three," he says."Can you count for me?" she says.He counts to eight and needs a little help with nine and 10. She asks him his colors, and he correctly identifies them -- green, black, red, yellow, white."Well, what are the teachers going to teach you, Jalen?" she asked. Then, after a few moments of thought, she quips, "It might be what is Jalen going to teach them."T&D Special Assignments Writer Charlene Slaughter can be reached by e-mail at cslaughter@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5529. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

Work in progress: an implant to detect seizures

Scientists are working on a brain implant with the ability to more reliably detect and forestall epileptic seizures.


An implant that detects seizures, and then delivers an electric current to stop them, is already being tested in humans by Neuropace of Mountain View, California. However, Pedro Irazoqui of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, says that this implant monitors only eight locations in the brain, and may thus give false positives.

Along with his colleagues, he has now developed an implant that can monitor up to 1000 regions, lowering the risk of false alarms. According to New Scientist, the brain implant will be connected to a "living electrode", also in the brain, and covered with neurons that have been modified to release a neurotransmitter that suppresses the seizure. Irazoqui believes that the use of chemical in place of electrical signals to stop the seizure may reduce brain trauma from the implant.

A child dealing with his first seizures needs help from his parents...not an panic attack!

I was in grade school the first time I saw someone have a seizure, but I still remember it vividly. A girl in my class suddenly fell to the floor, shaking uncontrollably. It only lasted a few seconds, but it seemed much longer. My classmate recovered quickly, but it was completely unnerving. For a parent, watching your child have a seizure can be even more frightening.

Seizures are prompted by abnormal electrical impulses from the brain, often resulting in loss of consciousness and uncontrollable muscle spasms. There are a variety of possible precipitating causes, including tumors, infections or injuries. In some cases, no definite cause can be identified. In children, seizures due to fever are relatively common, affecting about one out of every 25 kids.
Febrile (fever) seizures primarily involve children from 6 months to 5 years old.

They are typically triggered by a rapid rise in body temperature, often in the early stages of an otherwise routine childhood infection. Sometimes the seizure is the first indication that your child even has a fever. The quick increase in fever appears to be the driving factor, rather than the actual height of the fever. This explains why some children have a seizure at a temperature of 102 degrees, while others may tolerate a fever of 105 without batting an eye.

A family history of febrile seizures increases your child's risk of having one. Children younger than 18 months are also at higher risk for seizure activity associated with fever, due to their immature neurological system. Current research studies are investigating the specific genetic and environmental factors that make some children more susceptible than others.

Fortunately, although febrile seizures are alarming for parents, they are usually quite harmless. There are a wide range of symptoms, including rolling eyes, stiffening limbs and generalized muscle contractions. Occasionally they are more focal in nature, and only one area (such as an arm) twitches.

Ordinarily, the seizure only lasts a minute or two, but in rare cases it may continue for 15 minutes or more.

During a seizure, keep your child on his side on a flat, safe surface, such as the floor, and carefully monitor his breathing. Despite what you may have heard, your child cannot swallow his tongue, so do not stick anything in his mouth. It's a choking hazard and can actually make things worse. It is normal to be drowsy or confused briefly after a seizure.

All children should be evaluated promptly after a first-time febrile seizure. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes or if your child has any trouble breathing. Otherwise, call your pediatrician and/or head to the emergency department to get checked out. It's important to make sure the fever and seizure are not symptoms of a more serious problem.

Uncomplicated fever seizures do not cause brain damage, and in otherwise normal children, the risk of developing a lifelong seizure disorder is very small.

About one-third of children who have one fever seizure will eventually have another. If the first seizure occurred at a young age and relatively low fever, your child is more likely to see a repeat.
In extreme cases, your doctor may prescribe medication for your child, but this is usually not necessary.

The best prevention is prompt attention to any future fever with Tylenol, ibuprofen and lots of fluids.
Fever seizures can be scary, but fortunately, most children completely outgrow febrile seizures by the age of 6, and as any mother can tell you, that time flies by before you know it.

Dr. Betsy Neahring practiced pediatrics in Evansville for 10 years before (mostly) retiring to become "Daniel's Mom." Write to her at drbetsyneahring@aol.com.

MRI gives hope to people stricken with seizures

Epilepsy sufferers who do not respond to drugs have been given new hope by a team of researchers.

Experts have been honing their techniques to analyse MRI scans with the aim of identifying which part of a patient's brain is causing fits.

Until now, around one in four brain scans of epileptic patients not responding to drugs mistakenly gives the "all clear".

But Professor John Duncan and his team have been reprogramming scanners and finding new ways to analyse images with the aim of finding out more about these people's brains.

The hope is that hundreds more patients will be able to undergo surgery to remove the part of their brain that causes their seizures.

Professor Duncan, who is medical director of the National Society for Epilepsy and works at University College London, said one of the new techniques involved watching how water moves around the brain.

Another involves examining how water "sticks" to proteins in the brain, which can show up areas of abnormality not revealed in normal scans.

"It takes a long time and a lot of practice to perfect these techniques," he said.

"We are trying to find that abnormal area of the brain that is causing the epilepsy."
"Then there is the prospect of taking away that area of the brain in an operation."

"The first MRI scans were used for epilepsy about 20 years ago and technology is advancing year on year."

"In about one in four patients who do not do well with medicines, we don't see an abnormality."
"If one can make the scans more sensitive to find the abnormalities, this opens up the possibility of more operations."

The new methods have detected abnormalities in the brain in 29% of patients whose brains appeared normal using conventional MRI scanning.

The team has also looked at changes in the brain immediately following an epileptic episode to see whether it causes any damage.

Prof Duncan said his team was now spreading its knowledge across the UK through talks and conferences and by publishing papers in medical journals.

Around 450,000 people in the UK suffer from epilepsy, which is characterised by repeated seizures.

These seizures are often spontaneous but can be triggered by a lack of sleep, flickering lights or a high fever.

Prof Duncan said: "Epilepsy can be controlled by medication in 60 to 70% of cases and, for a quarter of the remainder, surgery may be the best treatment."

"It is crucial that we have an accurate picture of what is happening in the brain to allow the best possible outcome for the patient."

"Our work has found that in 29% of patients whose brains appeared normal using conventional MRI scanning, our new techniques have found changes suggesting an epileptic seizure."

"This would have been missed without our new techniques."

"Improving our diagnostic techniques and our understanding of the effects of an epileptic seizure means that more people could benefit from curative surgery."

The charity Action Medical Research has funded Professor Duncan's work for 16 years.

Its spokesman, Andrew Proctor, said: "This is a real leap forward in the treatment of epilepsy and it could mean life-changing surgery for many more people."

"The potential benefit to patients is tremendous."

Summer seizures not related to Epilepsy

Initially, Jay Goulden was put at ease; the ambulance carrying his son toward Iowa City had left its lights off.Then, halfway down I-380, the emergency vehicle started racing at a 90-mph clip."To see a kid who's never had any health problems at all (in that situation), it was traumatic," said the Cedar Falls resident, recalling an incident from June 9."You don't know when it's gonna stop ... and things go through your head like, 'Will he be able to go to college?'

"I tell you, it's been a long summer."Originally, in the midst of Jason Goulden's 25 summer seizures, doctors thought it was epilepsy. Then they diagnosed it as a viral infection. Now, they're not certain what it was.Regardless, Jason Goulden is back. And seemingly better than ever.In July, Jason Goulden needed a speech therapist. This week, he's a kicker for one of the premier Division III football programs in the nation, Central College.In a whirlwind, barely 10-week span, Goulden had picked himself up off the canvas, dusted off and attacked adversity with a clenched fist.

Jason's memory remains hazy as he recalls a nightmarish summer. But he knows this much ...Around June 8, the 18-year-old, a former standout Cedar Falls football player, fell while working at Hillcrest Apartments. A seizure soon followed. As did 12 days in the hospital."I just remember waking up one day at a hospital in Iowa City, thinking, 'OK, what am I doing here?'" Jason recalled this week."It was just a big shock -- a big wake-up call to me," he added, "that something like this could happen just out of the middle of nowhere, with no rhyme or reason."Finally, after 10 worry-filled days, Jason's seizures subsided.

Few answers, however, followed. His prognosis is still slightly uncertain."I'm 99 percent sure it's never gonna happen again," said Jay Goulden. "But I'm not gonna lie to you: there's that 1 percent in the back of your head that says it could."You say a little prayer that it won't."Finally, after multiple spinal taps and countless tests, Jason returned home to Cedar Falls. However, his mind, still recovering from a state of shock, needed to be re-booted.

Jason had to re-learn how to do things that a couple weeks earlier had essentially been involuntary acts, including kicking a football -- something that his college football career was centered around."He had flat-out forgot how to kick," Jay Goulden said of his son, who racked up 86 points his final two seasons as a Cedar Falls kicker."After his head got zapped after 25 seizures ... it was like a computer; you just had to hit the right button and it re-started."

The recent Cedar Falls grad spent his days shuttling from speech therapy at 8 a.m. to physical therapy at 9:30 to workouts around noon.But the day Jason returned to his former, All-Metro kicking form, his overall recovery seemed to begin in earnest.On a gusty, late-July day at Peet Junior High, longtime Cedar Falls football coach Pat Mitchell witnessed Jason's re-birth as a standout athlete."He was kicking in as nasty of a wind as I've seen all summer," said Mitchell, "and he was kicking as good as ever -- from 45 yards."

"At first it was just really frustrating, not being able to (kick) right away was ... bearing down on me," Jason explained. "But going back and learning it again made the whole process feel better and make me feel I can get through this. It was just like a weight was lifted off my shoulders."

Therapy with horses has done miracles for toddler with seizures

Amanda Ivancevich has seen much of the world through the glass of a hospital window.In her last trimester, Amanda suffered a stroke inside her mother's womb.The first six months of her life were normal, but soon Amanda's eyes began to cross. Then recurring seizures shut down half her brain.In her three years, Amanda has spent nearly half her life between one intensive care unit and the next, fighting off the cerebral power failures."

We went from having a normal baby, to a baby with seizures, to a child with no hope of full development," said her mother, Susan Ivancevich.Doctors had to remove the damaged left side of Amanda's brain to save her life, which left her paralyzed on her right side.For the past year, recovery has not come from inside a sterile environment but outdoors, strapping on a green jockey's helmet and holding on tightly to the reins of a dappled pony.

Told she would never be able to use her right side, the 3-year-old has defied that devastating prognosis using what she's learned from riding her therapeutic riding horse, Flash."Look at her go," shouted Eldon Thigpen, owner of Hanover Stables in Castle Hayne, where Amanda's family boards their horses. There, Amanda has become the darling of the corral.

Before beginning hippotherapy- or therapeutic horseback riding - Amanda could barely hold herself up."She couldn't do that before," Thigpen said, referring to the sudden straightening of Amanda's back from a slumped over position. "The quality of her life has improved so much."Hippotherapy has improved Amanda's chances for normal development, her family said, after she was diagnosed with infantile spasms, or IS, a disease that affects 1 in every 2,000 to 4,000 births."We never thought we would be that statistic," Susan Ivancevich said.

The treatment has become increasingly popular for patients with developmental disabilities because it uses the repetitive nature of equine movement to develop balance, posture and muscle tone, according to Barbara Yost, communications director for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.Susan Ivancevich said she grew up around horses and thought adding one to Amanda's routine would help her daughter overcome the disease.Most children with IS endure severe developmental delays, including profound mental retardation, a phrase Ivancevich said she remembers hearing with stinging frequency."

They told me she had a 99 percent chance of being profoundly retarded, with an IQ less than 20," Ivancevich said.The Ivancevich family followed a number of treatment options including ACTH, a powerful hormone injection. But the aggressive medication made Amanda feel like she was on pins and needles, Susan Ivancevich said.Drugs provided only temporary relief. Her parents were desperate for a solution, saying some days she would suffer more than 100 seizures.

"It didn't matter what she was doing, she would just collapse and pull forward like a jackknife," Susan Ivancevich said. "Everything short circuits for a second or two."Doctors at the University of California Los Angeles were using functional hemispherectomies - a procedure that removes parts of the nonfunctioning brain - to combat seizures in children. The eight-hour surgery was Amanda's only alternative.Susan Ivancevich said she remembers being terrified when she saw Amanda after her surgery."It was scary," she said. "She was twitching and jerking because her brain was getting used to the change.

She had this massive bandage on her head, where doctors had stapled her skull back together."Today, Amanda attends eight different kinds of therapy a week, ranging from speech to occupational therapy. But her favorite is on horseback."As far as we can see, whenever she comes out and does any riding, she just gets so energized," said Dianne Hermanson, Amanda's grandmother, who helps manage the schedule while Amanda's parents work as full-time professors at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

"She has heightened awareness for at least three days after riding," Susan Ivancevich said. "She can grab things and hold her balance."The horseback riding has augmented Amanda's progress in other therapies, she said. Amanda's can't speak yet, but she lets out high-pitched squeals when she is happy.It's the little things that become victories for Amanda, whether it's raising her head, wiggling her finger or even a squeaky giggle. It's enough to excite everyone around her."She sits up for two seconds, and you'd think we won the Olympics," Hermanson said.

Amanda's limbs were practically useless after surgery, Hermanson said. Simple muscle movements are no longer impossible for Amanda, thanks in part to Flash."Before, her hands were so tight - it was a like a vice," Hermanson said as she watched Amanda raise her right hand, unfurled in delight. "We had to peel her fingers to get it open."Her parents have kept a record of Amanda's progress through a blog, an online diary.They've chronicled every moment from Amanda's first smile to her latest doctor's appointment.

At the stables, everyone watched as the jolly jockey's luminous blue eyes gleamed from behind prescription glasses. Her golden ringlets bounced up and down to the rhythm of Flash's trot. Her mouth stretched open to release a squeal of delight.Spectators melted in fascination. Amanda's improvement has touched many of those around her. "She's been wonderful for all of us, just to watch what she can accomplish," Barbara Thigpen said. "It kind of makes you feel bad about complaining that you have a headache when you watch what Amanda's done."

Amanda's recovery prompted her parents to establish a foundation that would promote and fund research for IS as well as bring therapeutic riding to underprivileged children. Many of the doctors that have worked with Amanda serve on the Infantile Spasms Foundation's board of directors, which is awaiting tax exemption for nonprofit status."It's so humbling to be her mom," Susan Ivancevich said. "She's tough as nails and sweet as can be."

Epilert, a life-saving device for people suffering from seizures

One of the scariest moments in the life of a parent whose child suffers from epilepsy is when that child has a seizure. In addition, if the child is unattended, a prolonged seizure can lead to brain damage, and even death. Israeli startup BioLert is minimizing that risk by developing a warning device called Epilert to support a long needed remote monitoring solution for people with epilepsy and their caregivers. Epilert will detect and recognize epileptic seizures, according to the company's CEO Amos Shaham.

In the Western world, epilepsy affects approximately five million individuals with approximately 400,000 new cases diagnosed each year - and nearly one-third of those diagnosed are children. Epilert can relieve parents or caregivers from the need of supervising epileptics (e.g. children when they are sleeping or playing alone), says Shaham, who founded BioLert in 2005 with Prof. Uri Kramer, one of Israel's top experts in epilepsy and the company's chairman and chief medical scientist.

Epilepsy, also known as a seizure disorder, is a neurological condition which affects the nervous system. A patient is diagnosed as an epileptic after having two seizures, an involuntary change in behavior, muscle control, consciousness and sensation due to an abnormal electrical activity in the brain. "It's like suddenly fainting. If the person is standing up, he'll fall like a sack of potatoes," Shaham told ISRAEL21c.

The unpredictability of seizures may affect patients' ability to drive, work responsibilities and social activities, and with children can effect their social life and disrupt their studies. "We are developing a device that within 20 seconds will alert caregivers or parents that an epileptic episode is occurring," Shaham said. "There are several aspects for the need of such a device, but mainly it's to improve the quality of life for everyone involved. There's really nothing you can do once an attack has begun, but the important thing is to be there with the patient."

The Epilert consists of a hand (or foot) sensor unit device worn by the patient, ("the size of a watch," said Shoham) which detects movements and vibrations process and identifies it as an epileptic seizure rather than a normal non-epileptic movement. "Our unique algorithms differentiate epileptic movements from non-epileptic movements," explained Shoham. Once positively identified as an attack the sensor transmits an alarm to an alert unit that is with or near the caregiver, similar to a baby monitor. There could be several alert units in various places in a house or a facility, he added.

The idea for the Epilert was borne out of a real problem that Ichilov's Kramer confronted on a daily basis in his work: the fear of parents that a child will suffer from an epileptic attack when alone or in his sleep, without them attending and when it goes on for several hours it can cause irreversible brain damage and even death. "Professor Kramer is a staff member with the brain surgeon unit at Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) Hospital and works with epileptic children. He also maintains a private clinic treating mainly children, and has a deep understanding of the needs of epileptic children and their families.

A couple of years ago a mutual friend got us together, and Kramer explained to me the need for an alert system for his epilepsy patients," said Shoham, an electronic engineer and entrepreneur who graduated of the elite 8200 unit in the Israel Defense Forces "many years ago" and was a former executive at Elisra, a top Israeli security and weapons company Since ending his tenure at Elisra about 10 years ago, Shaham has managed startups, so he was in an ideal position to begin developing Kramer's "dreams" into practice.

With just the idea of the Epilert on paper, Shaham and Kramer won a 'Start Up is Born' contest sponsored by Israeli daily paper Ma'ariv in January 2005, beating out 700 other submission for the $90,000 first prize money. "That got the company launched, got our studies and a patent process going," said Shaham. "And at the beginning of this year, we received an additional investment of $100,000, which will help us move forward in developing the device."

Then in June, BioLert, received a big "ego" boost by winning an annual prestigious British award - the 'Medical Futures Innovation Award for Best Medical Device'. Medical Futures (MF IA) is an organization sponsored by Pharma and other companies and the UK government whose objective is to promote medical innovations. "There were about 1000 entries in several categories and in our category of 'mental health and neuroscience innovation', we were one of four winners, and the winner of the Best Medical Device'. The next day there was a little article in the Daily Mail, and I immediately started getting emails and telephone calls.

People went to the trouble of calling the paper and looking for our address. All were willing to buy the device, and were disappointed to learn it wasn't ready yet," said Shaham. He hopes to rectify that situation, and within a short time complete the prototype of the Epilert and begin trials at Ichilov under Kramer's supervision.

"Israel's a great place to test this, because the country's small and the population with epilepsy and their physicians is easily accessible. Professor Kramer knows all the relevant neurologists, and in few days, you can get to all of them," he said. "There's no doubt the need is there, and this solution is unique. It is enthusiastically supported by all the neurologist and epileptologist that we talked to, in Israel and abroad" concluded Shaham."

We ran a small survey via a neurology clinic in the US and 80% of the people with children with epilepsy said they would use such a device. Similar results were received on a same survey in Israel. "A warning has to be issued - whether it's from a child to his parent, an adult to his caregiver or if it's in the hospital to a nurse. The goal is to get there within a minute, and to be there with the patient. And that can save lives."

European toddler heads to USA for surgery to control seizures

THE dream of finally getting Billy Caldwell his American treatment for his epilepsy has taken a huge step towards becoming a reality this week, as the flights were booked and hospital appointments finalised.

Billy's family will leave for Chicago from Dublin on September 9, before meeting the world's elite children's epilepsy consultants two days later. Then on September 13 Billy will have a 3D multi-modelling MRI scan (a facility unavailable to Billy in Britain) to determine if he is a candidate for surgery.

Due to Billy's severe intractable epilepsy condition he could go into a life-threatening seizure at any time. If that happens at home, mum Charlotte administers a dose of diazepam and hooks Billy up to an oxygen tank until he comes out of it, and if he doesn't it is a race to the hospital for the next stage of treatment.

When Billy embarks for America next month, this back-up will not be there, making this an extremely harrowing journey, with considerable risk.

Charlotte explains, "We have been granted permission to take Billy's oxygen tank as far as the departure gate, where we then have to empty it before boarding the plane. If Billy then has a seizure we have to use oxygen that is linked up to his seat onboard.

"However, when we arrive in Chicago our tank will be empty which is extremely worrying in case Billy goes into a seizure so I am trying to arrange for a hospital representative to be waiting for us with a new oxygen tank."

Even though this journey could be Billy's chance of living a healthy life, Charlotte remains full of trepidation due to the severity of treatment her son will have to endure and the reality of the dangers that exist.

"We have been arguing and fighting for so long to get Billy his American treatment and now we are so close it actually feels that it is going to happen, but I can't help but still feel worried," said Charlotte.

"If they decide to operate, it is a severe operation. With any sort of brain surgery there are risks and that is what I would be worried about.

"Even weaning Billy off the drugs he is on now, he will be going into clinical seizures so they can analyse how his seizures display, which is something I am also really worried about.

"But I am glad there is an option of treatment and hope of a future, something we were told for so long was not possible. There is still a long road ahead of us," she added.

Europeans parents must fundraise for surgery in America

A FAMILY have begun a massive fundraising drive to bring their toddler son to the US for a life-saving operation after doctors in Ireland told them there was no hope of saving him.

Billy Caldwell has such a severe form of epilepsy that seizures can last for up to six hours. He can't yet speak and has only learned to sit up by himself. Doctors had told the parents of the two-year-old, Charlotte Caldwell and Andy Kempston, that there is nothing more they can do for him.

Determined

But his family were determined to find a cure and with the help of the internet, his mother Charlotte has found a US hospital with experience in working with epilepsy. The experts there believe Billy has a 98pc chance of being cured of his extreme seizures for good - but at a cost of €400,000.
"We finally got word recently that Chicago's University Hospital will be able to save Billy's life," said Charlotte, from her home in Omagh, Co Tyrone.

The family were due to travel to America in mid-August, but as the Chicago Hospital requires the €400,000 medical bill to be transferred into their account before any treatment is administered, it is no longer possible to leave this month. The trip has therefore been delayed until September 9.
"We are pleading with everyone and anyone to come forward and donate to help save our son's life. Every little bit will help. We will do anything to give Billy a life," said Charlotte.

Since Billy's first seizure in December 2005, Charlotte has never left Billy's side, as she is the only one trained to administer his medication. Every time they leave the house it is a struggle, checking that that they have sufficient oxygen and the medication needed if the worst does happen.

When he was four months old, Charlotte took him to the local hospital in Omagh to find out why he wasn't like other children his age and they referred him to the Erne hospital in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

In the ambulance on the way, Billy had a massive seizure and the paramedics were unaware what was happening. The seizure lasted six hours.

"I thought my son was going to die right there in the ambulance. I was so scared," said Charlotte. Billy spent four days in hospital undergoing tests until it was finally decided to transfer him to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where doctors spent the next four months trying to find a cure for what they diagnosed as intractable epilepsy. On March 8, 2006, doctors took his parents aside and told them that none of the treatments were working and their son was going to die.

Devastated

"We were devastated. They told us to take him home to die because there was nothing that could be done to save his life.

"We didn't know what to say, we were begging the doctors surely there was somewhere else we could take him or there must be something that could be done. We couldn't accept that Billy was going to die," said Charlotte.

Epilepsy specialists in Chicago have said they can stop Billy's seizures for good, allowing the child to lead a healthy life and are currently preparing a program of tests for Billy when he arrives in September.

"They are much more advanced in epilepsy there than any of the hospitals here in Ireland," said Billy's mum.

A special website, www.billysrayofhope.com, has been set up for anyone wanting to help Billy.

Toddler is now seizures free!

While sitting in a car at a gas station outside of Atlanta, Stephanie McClain of Dayton was approached by a man. Initially becoming agitated because she didn’t have money to give, the man said something that caught her attention.

“Don’t just sit there and shake your head,” he said. “Your son is going to be okay.”

Corey McClain, son of Scott and Stephanie McClain of Dayton, was born July 16, 2004. When he was just a year old, he started having seizures. He stopped answering to his name and quit talking. He didn’t smile and never made eye contact.

“His chin would drop and he would fall on his bottom,” Stephanie said.

As his symptoms progressed, various trips to the doctor revealed nothing. By January of this year, at only 2, Corey was having between 20 and 30 seizures a day, wearing a helmet so he wouldn’t be seriously injured. Though his seizures were never in the grand mal category, in one day, Corey had 60.

“His quality of life just wasn’t good,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie, who works as a nurse at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, had seen seizures before but was still struck when it was her own son.

“To sit there and watch your child do that…it’s hard to do,” Stephanie said.

The McClains began seeking treatment for their son. Traveling as far as Detroit and Johns Hopkins in Maryland, and as close as T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital in Chattanooga and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, and after numerous tests, scans and other procedures, the McClains were left without a good explanation.

“They said he had some rare seizure disorder called West Syndrome,” Stephanie said.
According to Stephanie, tests included electroencephalographs, or EEGs. These tests record electrical activity of the brain. Corey’s early EEG readings were so poor they were barely readable.

The McClains were sent to Emory University in Atlanta in 2006. According to Stephanie, at this point, she was mad at the world and out of faith.

It was on this trip that Stephanie met the seemingly prophetic man at the gas station.

Stephanie said she didn’t even see anyone standing in the parking lot when her husband pulled the car in. While her husband was inside the store, the man appeared at her window.

Stephanie said the man had her attention when he began speaking about her son. He told her “you have to find me first and then you will find your blessings. Just believe and don’t forget where you came from.”

After returning from Emory University, Stephanie said Corey didn’t have seizures for two weeks. However, the seizures did return.

The family traveled back to Johns Hopkins in January 2007 for more tests. It was here that the McClains learned about a treatment called the Ketogenic Diet.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, the Ketogenic Diet is one that is high on fat and low on carbohydrates, forcing the body to burn fat rather than glucose for energy.

According to Stephanie, the strict diet required that her son fast for 24 hours while in a hospital and under a doctor’s care. Stephanie described Corey as “nonresponsive” in the hospital. While there, the family was a trained on how to administer the diet. After the diet was fine-tuned, the family returned home determined to carry out their task for the remaining two years of the diet.

Since having two seizures during the week of Jan. 15, Corey has been seizure free.

The diet requires all food to be weighed, and a strict fluid restriction. In addition, Stephanie said she can only use certain soaps and sunblocks.

“It’s very strict,” Stephanie said. “He can have a Diet Coke from the can but not from the fountain because the carbonation will throw off the diet.”

Though Corey still isn’t talking and is learning basic tasks like holding hands and even playing, Stephanie said the doctors are pleased with his progress. He will be learning sign language this year and will be a part of Ms. Bunny Derlak’s class at Graysville Elementary. In addition, Corey is enrolled in a program called ABA Therapy at Lee University. This program allows for an instructor to come to the McClain’s house for 25 hours a week for intensive one on one therapy.

“The doctor said it was a miracle,” Stephanie said. “He said only 1 percent respond this well. He’s moving in the right direction.”

As the school year is starting up, the McClain family is falling into a routine. The McClain’s oldest son Tanner, 4, will start school next year. Madison, their youngest and also their only girl, is 2.
“If you saw him last year, you wouldn’t know it was the same kid,” Stephanie said. “We are so thankful for all the prayers and support.”

Though the McClains see Corey’s improvement as a miracle, Stephanie said there is a lesson to be learned.

“[I hope] this gives someone just a little bit of hope not to give up with one doctor’s opinion. Always get more opinions,” she said.

“We would have gone anywhere. Don’t just settle. He told us to believe. That’s what we’ve been trying to do— believe.”

Mother gets 15 years sentence for causing seizures in baby

Susana Reyes was sentenced to 15 years in prison late Monday night for inflicting serious injuries to her 7-week-old baby by violently shaking him three years ago.The 23-year-old Tyler woman was found guilty Thursday of injury to a child in 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's court. On Monday, the jury deliberated for about 10 hours before sentencing her.

She faced probation or five years to life in prison.Ms. Reyes, also known as Susana Solano, is an illegal immigrant and will most likely be deported because of the conviction, attorneys said.Eric Reyes, who turned 3 on Tuesday, Aug. 7, suffered permanent brain loss from the Sept. 30, 2004, incident.Several doctors from the Children's Medical Center in Dallas testified that they believed the boy suffered a collection of injuries that were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

The boy had bleeding outside his brain, bleeding of his eyes and a fractured rib, consistent with someone squeezing him as they violently shook him.Pediatric neurologist Dr. Lloyd Mercer, who examined the boy at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, said the infant's injuries were inconsistent with him being shaken, and he believed they were caused by an accidental fall.

After the boy began having seizures at the hospital, Ms. Reyes told Mercer that she was walking with her baby when she tripped over a cat and fell and the boy hit his head on the carpeted floor. The infant was transferred from Tyler to Dallas because of the seizures.

Registered Nurse Mary Kern said when Eric was brought into Mother Frances Hospital, he was lethargic but began having frequent seizures.Alecia Conway, LVN, said the boy's mother and father did not notify the nurses of the infant's first seizure. They reported it to the medical staff only after he had a second and much longer episode. She said she saw the boy have eight seizures that each lasted 2 to 4 minutes. At first the infant cried, but by the eighth seizure, his body was worn out, his eyes failed to respond, and he didn't cry anymore.

Kim Rockwell and her husband David are Eric's foster parents and have been caring for him since he was about 3 months old. Mrs. Rockwell said he has had some behavioral issues but he now talks, plays and acts like a normal 3-year-old.A pediatrician testified earlier that the injuries could cause learning or concentration problems with the boy when he gets older.During closing arguments, Assistant Smith County District Attorney Richard Vance told the jury that Ms. Reyes nearly shook the life out of her 7-week-old baby.

Instead of panicking, she decided to plot how she was "going to get out of it."He said the fussy baby was relieved when he saw his mother there to make everything better. Soon that relief turned to terror when the mother picked him up and shook him. When he woke up in the hospital, he began seizing uncontrollably, Vance said."That's more pain in 24 hours than most people will go through in their entire life," he said. "A lifetime of pain calls for a life sentence.”Defense attorney Robert Bennett said although the jurors were supposed to separate their emotions from the evidence, it was impossible to do in the case.He said someone became upset with the child and reacted; it was not someone plotting out what they were going to do, he added.

Bennett asked the jurors to sentence his client to 10 years probation. The baby no longer has seizures and is a happy, healthy boy who calls the Rockwells mommy and daddy, he said. Ms. Reyes has lost her son, has a felony conviction and will be deported, he said, asking for mercy."She lost her child because she seriously injured him," Assistant District Attorney Jason Parrish said. "She lost her child the second she decided to grab baby Eric and shake him."He said the baby, who could not protect himself, has permanent brain damage and will be affected by what his mother did for the rest of his life.

Boy's dream comes true following surgery to control seizures!

Harrison Clark says, "Geez- I can't even remember."If you ask 9 year-old Harrison Coppens-Clark how long he's been wishing for a pool, he'll tell you a long time. But earlier this week, the waiting came to an end.Bob Scarborough with A Splash Above says, "We got here about 8 o'clock in the morning.Last Saturday Scarborough and workers from A Splash Above spent most of the day building the gift of Harrison's dreams.

Scarborough says, "When I talk to people about it, they just get chills because it's great to be able to help someone like that."Make-A-Wish volunteers like Deb Cupp have been working behind the scenes for five months to see it all come together.Deb Cupp, Make a Wish Volunteer, says, "I guess it's beyond words."Harrison's parents feel the same. Harrison was born three months prematurely, and struggles with developmental delays.

He also battles epileptic seizures. Cara Coppens-Clark, Harrison's Mother says, "Before the surgery- he was having seizures every one to three seconds."But now, things are looking up. Harrison's recent surgery has diminished his seizures and he's gone back to being a kid. A kid that's once again found joy.Harrison says, "Happy, surprised, excited."Knowing all of these people, friends, family members, volunteers came together to grant his one wish.

Harrison Clark/Make A Wish Recipient says "Thank you make a wish."The Make-A-Wish Foundation says there are currently 287 children on the waiting list in Indiana. If you're interested in helping, you can visit their website at makeawishindiana.org.

Boy's dream comes true following surgery to control seizures!

Harrison Clark says, "Geez- I can't even remember."If you ask 9 year-old Harrison Coppens-Clark how long he's been wishing for a pool, he'll tell you a long time. But earlier this week, the waiting came to an end.Bob Scarborough with A Splash Above says, "We got here about 8 o'clock in the morning.Last Saturday Scarborough and workers from A Splash Above spent most of the day building the gift of Harrison's dreams.

Scarborough says, "When I talk to people about it, they just get chills because it's great to be able to help someone like that."Make-A-Wish volunteers like Deb Cupp have been working behind the scenes for five months to see it all come together.Deb Cupp, Make a Wish Volunteer, says, "I guess it's beyond words."Harrison's parents feel the same. Harrison was born three months prematurely, and struggles with developmental delays.

He also battles epileptic seizures. Cara Coppens-Clark, Harrison's Mother says, "Before the surgery- he was having seizures every one to three seconds."But now, things are looking up. Harrison's recent surgery has diminished his seizures and he's gone back to being a kid. A kid that's once again found joy.Harrison says, "Happy, surprised, excited."Knowing all of these people, friends, family members, volunteers came together to grant his one wish.

Harrison Clark/Make A Wish Recipient says "Thank you make a wish."The Make-A-Wish Foundation says there are currently 287 children on the waiting list in Indiana. If you're interested in helping, you can visit their website at makeawishindiana.org.

Man suffers from seizures following assault

A Lufkin man seriously hurt in a violent attack last month is now recovering at home.

Ruben Black, Jr. was life-lighted to a Houston hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was riding his bike near Mantooth Park when two men in a truck pulled up beside him and threw something at him. The unknown object hit him in the eye.

Black was hospitalized with severe swelling and blood in his brain that caused him to have seizures. If you know who committed the crime, call the Lufkin Police Department at (936) 633-0321.

Abusive mother caused her son to suffer from seizures

A 23-year-old Tyler woman was found guilty Thursday of injuring her 7-week-old baby by violently shaking him.Susana Reyes, also known as Susana Solano, was convicted of injury to a child - intentionally or knowingly causing serious bodily injury or serious mental deficiency or impairment to the baby. The jury in 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's court deliberated for eight hours Thursday.

Eric Reyes, who turned 3 on Tuesday, suffered permanent brain loss from the Sept. 30, 2004 incident. His mother faces five to 99 years or life in prison when the trial resumes on Monday.Several doctors from the Children's Medical Center in Dallas testified for the state that they believed the boy suffered a collection of injuries that were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

The boy had bleeding outside his brain, bleeding of his eyes and a fractured rib.Pediatric neurologist Dr. Lloyd Mercer testified for the defense that he examined the boy when he was brought into Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler. He said the infant's injuries were inconsistent with him being shaken and he believed they were caused by an accidental fall.After the boy began having seizures, Ms. Reyes told Mercer that she was walking with her baby when she tripped over a cat and fell and his head hit the carpeted floor.

The infant was transferred from Tyler to Dallas because of the seizures.During closing arguments, Assistant Smith County District Attorney Richard Vance said Ms. Reyes shook her son "to the point where his brain bled."He said the injuries were consistent with the baby being violently shaken."When she shook that child ... she knew what was happening," Vance said. "She knew that baby was going to be hurt."Defense attorney Robert Bennett said there were a lot of inconsistencies with what the doctors believed.

He said no one testified that they saw Ms. Reyes injure the child and no doctor could say that the injuries were caused, beyond a reasonable doubt, by shaking the baby.Bennett said someone else in Ms. Reyes' house could have harmed the child."They've not proven their case," he said, asking the jurors to fund his client not guilty.Ms. Reyes did not immediately tell the Tyler doctors that she fell with the child because she was an illegal immigrant and she was afraid she was going to get into trouble, Bennett said.Assistant District Attorney Jason Parrish disagreed, saying Ms. Reyes did not tell the doctors because she knew committing a felony would get her deported."

Justice in this case is guilty," he said. "Justice is making sure that a 3-year-old boy doesn't have to get in the hands of his abuser."He said the jurors had the right to rely on the opinions of the medical experts."When you shake a child, it is abusive head trauma," he said."Little Eric, 7 weeks old, can't protect himself. It is up to y'all to protect him," Parrish told the jurors, asking them to find him guilty.

Dr. Matthew Cox, a pediatrician and a specialist in injuries caused by child abuse or neglect, testified the victim's injuries were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome. A simple fall to the floor would not cause the type of injuries the baby sustained, he said.He said when a child is violently shaken, it can cause the brain to jostle within the skull and lead to injuries to the brain tissue and tearing of the blood vessels and a "substantial risk of death."

Dr. Nancy Rollins, who specializes in radiology concerning children, has for the past 20 years examined Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and CAT Scans related to brain and spinal cord injuries in children.After reviewing Eric's images, Dr. Rollins believed "the child had been subjected to non-accidental trauma," she said, adding that his injuries were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Dr. Michael Dowling, a pediatric neurologist, said shaking a baby will cause bleeding in the brain and can lead to seizures, which Eric had.Nearly a year after his injuries were inflicted, on Aug. 5, 2005, Dowling said an examination of the infant showed a notable amount of permanent brain loss he expected would lead to learning or concentration difficulties.Mercer disagreed with the state's physicians.

He said he believed Eric's injuries were inconsistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome. Mercer believed they were caused by the baby falling and hitting his head on the floor, not child abuse.He said Ms. Reyes told him she fell with the child after the boy began having seizures, which caused him to be transferred from Tyler to Dallas.

Mercer said the fall could explain the seizures and bleeding outside the boy's brain. He said the only thing he saw that was consistent with Shaken Bay Syndrome was the bleeding in the baby's eyes. There was no bleeding inside the infant's brain, which is inconsistent with being shaken violently, added.

Can popular game trigger seizures?

Playing the popular Chinese tile game mahjong can lead to seizures, Hong Kong researchers say, calling the phenomenon "mahjong epilepsy."

Most of the 23 patients never suffered seizures other than when playing mahjong and the seizures occurred as early as one hour into their games, the researchers said. One patient stopped having seizures after quitting mahjong but relapsed after taking up the game again, according to the study.

"It involves substantial higher mental processing and outputs: memory, concentration, calculations, reasoning, strategies, sequential thinking and planning," they said.

Are seizures automatically a sign of Epilepsy?

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts' recent seizure shines a light on a common but misunderstood condition – epilepsy. Health experts said the seizures can strike suddenly, but they can be managed.

"Most seizures do occur in the frontal lobe," said Dr. Isabelle Germano, a neurologist at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York.

Germano said she can see signs of seizures in brain scans. They show up as jagged lines, then smooth ones followed by jagged lines. During a seizure, brain activity goes from normal into erratic spiking as the electrical signals spread across your brain, which can trigger a response in the body.

"Movement of the arms and or the legs and saliva coming out of the mouth, eyes rolling – those are typical signs of a seizure," Germano said.

Germano said one seizure is not necessarily a sign of epilepsy, but two or more may be a sign unless there is a known factor including fever, stroke or tumor.According to the Epilepsy Foundation, a cause for seizures is never identified in seven out of 10 people.

The organization said between 5 percent and 10 percent of people will have one seizure during their lifetimes and, of those, 30 percent will develop epilepsy.Seizures may not be deadly or very damaging, but repeated ones can affect the brain. Most can be managed with medicine.
"There are a lot of very well-known people including actors, CEOs, artists that take those medications and function perfectly well," Germano said.

Health experts said 40 million people worldwide have epilepsy.

Normal life can be done despite seizures

He can feel the sensation coming on. Twenty seconds before a thrust of unconsciousness hits him like a bolt of lightning in the brain, he begins to feel dizzy. He gets down on the ground, or pulls off to the side of the road, bracing for this uncontrollable storm.

The next thing he knows, 54-year-old Jerry Kralovansky is waking up, feeling really groggy. And all he wants to do is go home and sleep."I just know it's happening," said the Plymouth resident, who has had probably half a dozen of these seizures since 1981, when a blood vessel in his brain ruptured in a cerebral vascular accident that required surgery to remove the blood clot.

"It's like you're fainting. You get dizzy, your vision gets kind of blurry and you just know it's coming."But fortunately, he said, the "shaking all over" hasn't come for five to six years now -- a marked change from when surges used to occur every four or five months, striking him anywhere from the tennis court to the golf course to his home."Unless it's in your family or you have it yourself, you take a lot of things for granted," said Kralovansky, whose wife, Mary Jane, started Garden of Hope about three years ago to support those who suffer from neurological disorders such as epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.

"Once you've had it, you realize how many other people have it," Jerry Kralovansky said of seizures.Seizures affect millions, with one in 10 adults experiencing at least one episode in their lifetime. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts had his second seizure in 14 years Monday, joining the 1 percent of people who have second or third seizures, and joining the 50 percent of Americans with seizures who don't have a readily identifiable cause, said Michael Englert of South Bend Neurology.

Unclear conditionRoberts -- who grew up in Indiana's northwest town of Long Beach and who left the hospital Tuesday before returning to his summer home off Maine's coast -- bore no tumor, stroke or other known cause for his seizure, according to The Associated Press. His episode this week has sparked a storm of questions about seizures and their link to epilepsy.

By definition, those who've had more than one unprovoked seizure separated by time are epileptic, Englert said. A seizure is a sudden surge of electricity in the brain -- a storm that can be triggered by a stroke, brain injury, high fever or certain medications, Englert said. Other triggers include lack of sleep, irregular eating habits or hypoglycemia, said Nasar Katariwala, general neurologist with a specialty in epilepsy at The NeuroClinic in Michigan City.

Chances of having a third seizure strongly increase, doctors say."Certainly to go 14 years (without one) can speak for a very good prognosis," said South Bend's Englert, who's been in the field for 22 years. "(Roberts) may have another one, but it may be a very long time."While 70 percent of people experience a partial seizure -- which usually results from a brain injury or other secondary factors -- the other 30 percent usually inherit generalized seizures genetically, Katariwala said.

Resulting symptoms can range from something as minor as a muscle twitch and shaking in just an arm or a leg to frothing at the mouth, loss of bowel control, convulsions that last 30 to 60 seconds and loss of consciousness.MedicationThe main question now is whether Roberts should receive anti-seizure medication, but there's currently no clear answer because of the long stretch between his two episodes.

The downside to drugs is that they are required daily, can be costly over time and can cause side effects, "so it's not just as simple as taking a medicine and forgetting about it," Englert said. Kralovansky -- who was likely born with the weak blood vessel in his brain that caused his cerebral vascular accident -- has taken the anti-seizure medication Tegretol daily since 1981 and undergoes annual tests through his general practitioner. He attributes the fewer episodes in recent years to the medication, he said.

Seizures most frequently occur in the first year of life -- usually due to some congenital problem or birth injury -- or after age 60, as a result of stroke, degenerative brain diseases or repeated head trauma. When seizures are genetic, they begin during childhood or adolescence, Englert said.For those who have epilepsy or who are predisposed to having seizures, the key to helping prevent these episodes -- besides medicine -- includes getting adequate rest, not skipping meals or going too long without eating and avoiding some specific kinds of antidepressants, antibiotics or narcotics, Englert said.

Still, Roberts' work from the Supreme Court bench shouldn't be affected by the past couple of temporary short-circuiting episodes in his brain, local doctors say."If the right medication is given, the side effects are zero and the seizure is controlled completely, then the person can function very well," Katariwala said.

If Roberts were his patient, Katariwala would put the chief justice on medication, as well as perform a measure of brain activity called an EEG, conduct an MRI of the brain and examine in detail his family and personal history, in addition to studying the two seemingly spontaneous seizures. If there was any indication that both seizures were provoked, the doctor would observe the patient but not treat him, he said.

Dog training to sense upcoming seizures in 3 years old toddler

We've heard of rescue dogs, seeing eye dogs, even dogs used for therapy in hospitals. Now dogs are being trained to help patients at risk for seizures.

Hopefully, that's only the beginning of what one dog will give Bryant Weasel. The three-year-old has Dravet's Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes seizures. Before, his mom couldn't let him out of her sight, but that's changed with the arrival of a pappilion named Theo. Bryant's mother, Amy Weasel, says, "It's given him a sense of independence and it gives me a sense of relief, knowing that the dog is with him and the dog will do what the dog has been trained to do." Prison inmates first taught Theo basic commands.

Then he went to a place called "4 Paws for Ability" to learn how to be a seizure response dog. Bryant and his family went to the Xenia, Ohio facility for training. Amy Weasel says, "As soon as we walked into that building, Bryant went straight to that crate." The idea is for the two to bond so Theo will recognize when Bryant is about to have a seizure and alert his parents by barking. The theory is the dogs can sense chemical changes in the body minutes before. Amy Weasel says, "The dog is supposed to pick up on that scent.

There is no guarantee that he will, but that's what the hope is." Theo is already proving to be a loyal companion, providing a distraction to Bryant when he's getting stuck with a needle during monthly visits to the hospital for an experimental treatment aimed at decreasing his seizures. Amy Weasel says, "He also laid his head in his lap the infusion was running. He got to pet him and it relieved his anxiety and it was just fantastic." Bryant isn't the only with less anxiety. Mom and dad both sleep better at night knowing Theo is on guard.

Amy Weasel says, "He's just a beautiful, beautiful dog and we're so glad to have him." Since a seizure victim is in danger of suffocating while in bed, the dogs are trained to remove pillows and blankets as soon as the episode starts. They can lay on top of the person so he or she doesn't try to get up in a confused state. Some of them can even run and hit a button to call 911 on a specially-designed telephone.

Can implant control seizures?

Researchers are testing the effectiveness of the Responsive Neurostimulator System (RNS) an implanted stimulator made by Neuropace in stemming seizures before they start in people with uncontrolled epilepsy. The RNS system contains a computer chip that is designed to detect abnormal electrical activity in the brain and delivers small amounts of electrical stimulation in response.

The system is implanted by a surgeon within the skull and beneath the scalp and then connected to two wires containing electrodes that are placed within the brain or resting on the brain surface in the area of the seizure focus. By continuously monitoring brain electrical activity, after identifying the 'signature' of a seizure's onset, the device delivers brief electrical stimulations with the intention of suppressing the seizure before any symptoms occur.

The study is being conducted by a team of researchers led by Michael Sperling at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.An early study of the RNS system in 65 adults with medically uncontrolled epilepsy indicated that the device was safe.As part of this study, researchers are enrolling patients to determine if RNS was effective in predicting and preventing seizures in patients.The study participants will receive the implant but only half of them will have the device activated in the initial phase.

The others will have the device activated 16 weeks after surgery once the controlled phase was complete.'Patients who have the device activated one month after surgery will be monitored weekly at the epilepsy centre to tweak the chip's programming for optimal performance,' Dr. Skidmore said. Patients will also receive a device that was able to scan the chip for information about seizures just by holding a wand over the scalp. The information can then be downloaded by the patient onto a computer and sent via telephone to epilepsy researchers to review.