Seizures caused by motorcycle crash cost man's life

A MAN given a unique send-off by his family after he died suddenly had suffered an epileptic fit, an inquest was told.

Twenty-one-year-old Lee John was found dead on the floor of his family home one morning last June.

His devastated parents Mervyn and Carol decided to give their young son the send-off they said he would have wanted, laying him out in his coffin with a can of cider in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

His family also sent flowers to the funeral in the shape of a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and a bouquet in the shape of the can that held his favourite cider drink.

Mr and Mrs John, and other members of the family, attended an inquest at County Hall into the death of the former Daniel James school pupil, of Heol Pen Tir Garw, Penlan, who was known to friends as Lanky Lee.

The hearing was told Mr John had been involved in two road accidents, the second of which took place on Gors Avenue seven months before his death.

After that accident, he began experiencing fits for the first time, leading him to be prescribed drugs to control the convulsions.

But as a result of his fits, DVLA had taken away his driving licence.

Mr John senior had spoken of his belief that his son had stopped taking his tablets because he was determined to prove he was fully fit to drive, so he could indulge his passion for motorbikes.

Singleton Hospital consultant pathologist Maurizio Brotto, who carried out the post mortem examination on Mr John, confirmed there was a low level of the anti- convulsive drug Lamotrigine in his body, suggesting "partial or non- compliance" with the medication.

He suggested that Mr John, who last worked at Swansea's Ramada Jarvis hotel as a kitchen porter, may have stopped taking it in the days before his death.

He also confirmed he found no evidence of alcohol or illegal drug use.

But he said he believed Mr John had experienced a fit shortly before he died, and gave the cause of death as Sudep, or sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

He added it was likely Mr John had experienced cardiac arrhythmia as a result, and told Mr John's parents it would have been "very difficult" to treat him, even if he had been in hospital.

He concluded it was unlikely he would have suffered.

Coroner Phillip Rogers said: "Lee John had been involved in road traffic collisions in 2004 and 2007.

"He had contusions in the brain which might have been a result of the collisions, or possibly from the seizures themselves.

"There were abrasions on the tongue, which are indicative of seizure before he died.

"In these circumstances, the only conclusion is that he died of natural causes."

Mr John's family were too upset to comment after the inquest.

Discovery of gene related to most types of Epilepsy

An international team of researchers, led by investigators at Columbia University Medical Center, has uncovered the first gene linked to the most common type of epilepsy, called Rolandic epilepsy. One out of every five children with epilepsy is diagnosed with this form, which is associated with seizures starting in one part of the brain.

Results of the study were published in an advance online issue of the European Journal of Human Genetics on January 28, 2009.

The finding is the first step in unlocking the causes of common childhood epilepsies and developing more effective treatments. Children with Rolandic and other types of epilepsies are usually treated with drugs that prevent seizures by suppressing electrical activity in the entire brain.

"Epilepsy medications are effective for many children but there is concern that some of the cognitive and behavioral problems that children with epilepsy often suffer might be attributable in part to these drugs," says the study's senior author, pediatric neurologist Deb Pal, M.D., Ph.D., Columbia University research scientist in the Department of Psychiatry at the College of Physicians & Surgeons and at the Mailman School of Public Health and in the Division of Epidemiology at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. "Most epilepsies have a genetic influence, much of which has yet to be discovered. If we knew the actual genetic causes, then we could try to stop or reverse the processes that lead to seizures and other neurological impairments. This finding will hopefully help lead us to the right intervention."

In the study, the researchers searched the entire genome of 38 families and found a region on chromosome 11 that was linked with Rolandic epilepsy. Then, by comparing this region in people with Rolandic epilepsy to unaffected controls (255 people in total), the researchers pinpointed the gene, called ELP4.

The finding was replicated in a completely different set of patients and controls collected by the team's Canadian members, with the same result. Though Dr. Pal says an outside group still needs to replicate the findings, the two independent experiments provide strong evidence that ELP4 is truly linked to Rolandic epilepsy.

ELP4 has never before been linked to a human disease but is related to a group of genes (transcriptional regulators) that recently have been associated with other common forms of epilepsy. All these genes appear to influence the organization of brain circuits during development.

The discovery of genes like ELP4 are slowly altering the prevailing view of the cause of common epilepsies. Instead of stemming from changes in the brain's ion channels, as previously thought, the disorders likely stem from the way the brain's neurons connect to each other during development, researchers now believe.

With that perspective, it is not surprising that children with epilepsy often have other learning and behavior problems. "We shouldn't think of epilepsy as just about the seizures, but also about all the other brain impairments we see, like a delay in speaking, reading difficulties, and attention problems," Dr. Pal says. "Seizures are one, but not the only, consequence of these children's slightly altered brain development."

The findings also offer possible insights into the causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech dyspraxia (a speech disorder in which a person has a delay in speech development due to motor coordination difficulties), and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Children with these developmental disorders often have the same spiky brainwave pattern that is present in children with Rolandic epilepsy. Understanding how the ELP4 gene is related to the brainwave pattern may help researchers uncover the causes of these disorders.

Rolandic epilepsy, named for the region of the brain affected by the seizures, begins almost exclusively in children between the ages of 3 and 12. Seizures typically start in the morning just after the child wakes up and cause a loss of muscle tone in the face and a loss of speech. Seizures stop on their own after several minutes. Most children grow out of the disorder by adolescence.

What can cause seizures in children?

Seven-year-old Benjamin Lavastida's history with seizures began when he was 18 months old. He had three in one day. They came "fast and furious," said his mother, Kim Lavastida of West Des Moines. At the time, a pediatric neurologist found nothing abnormal; and they were thought to be caused by a high fever.

Yet more seizures followed, and they occurred frequently from when Benjamin was 2 to 4 years old, Lavastida said. He was diagnosed with epilepsy, a neurological disorder.
The topic of seizures in children recently has received media attention following the death earlier this month of actor John Travolta's 16-year-old son, Jett, after a seizure.

A seizure is an alteration in awareness, or a convulsion, that takes place when brain cells do not communicate with each other, said Dr. Padmini Palat, a pediatric neurologist with Mercy Children's Center who specializes in care of children with seizure disorders. The alteration results in changes in the electrical activity of the brain.

One percent of all children will have at least one seizure by the age of 14, Palat said. About half of those children will develop epilepsy.

Symptoms of a seizure vary in infants, children and adults. In children, symptoms can include blank staring, excessive chewing motions, confused speech and the body shaking or jerking.

In babies, symptoms include clusters of quick and sudden movements that begin between the ages of 3 months and 2 years, according to the Epilepsy Foundation North/Central Illinois, Iowa & Nebraska. Also, if an infant is sitting, his head will fall forward; if lying down, his knees will be drawn up and his arms and head flex forward.

Most single, brief seizures do not cause long-term problems, but Palat said prolonged seizures can be dangerous and life-threatening.

It is important for parents to contact their child's primary care provider to determine the cause of a seizure and whether more testing or treatment is needed, she said. Tests can include an electroencephalogram, or EEG, which traces the electrical activity of the brain, or an MRI.

The causes of seizures can include head injury, illness or high fever. In some cases, Palat said, a cause is never found.

Doctors tried three different drugs before finding the right combination of two medications to get Benjamin's seizures under control, Lavastida said. "There's nothing definitive. It's trial and error," Lavastida said. "We got them under control right at the age of 5."

In March 2008, after Benjamin had been seizure-free for two years, Palat attempted to wean him off his medication, which resulted in a seizure. Palat said they'll do more tests and try again this spring to decrease his drugs.

Many children stop having seizures as they mature and their brain grows, she said. "With certain types of epilepsy, they may grow out of them. But with certain kinds, they may need to take a medication for the rest of their life."

Young mother gets new life following hip surgery

For 26-year-old Melissa Martinez of Buckley, taking walks with her son and making regular trips to the grocery store are considered miracles. That's because Martinez had used a wheelchair and crutches for three years.

Martinez was diagnosed with lupus when she was a teenager, and the prolonged use of prednisone, a steroid medication to treat it, only worsened her condition.

The medicine caused her hip joints to erode, leaving her in constant, excruciating pain and, eventually, reliant on a wheelchair. Having the ability to walk and stand up straight seemed impossible.

But that all changed this summer when she met George Verghese, an orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Kankakee and Joliet, who performed a bilateral hip replacement -- a procedure not typically done on young people.

"I never thought it was going to happen," Martinez said.

An active child

Martinez was an active teen. In high school she was a varsity cheerleader, in sports and involved in many academic clubs.

But during her senior year, after feeling constantly ill and achy, Martinez was diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the joints and organs. Lupus causes the immune system to make antibodies against itself, causing pain and inflammation. It can also damage organs, as it did with Martinez's kidneys. She also experienced heart problems and seizures. She had to give up extracurricular activities.

Treatment is limited to anti-inflammatories, like prednisone, and immunosuppressive drugs, said Annette Myarick, executive director Philadelphia tri-state chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. There has not been a new drug approved by the FDA for the disease in 50 years.

An estimated 1.5 to 2 million Americans have some form of lupus, according to the Lupus Foundation of America. There is no proven cause of the disease, but there are some believed underlying factors, including certain antibiotics, infections, genetics and extreme stress. Doctors believe stress was a factor in Martinez's case.

To manage the pain and inflammation lupus caused, doctors put Martinez on the prednisone, and she began feeling back to normal. She even started jogging every morning.

But after a year of feeling healthy, she started noticing pain in her hips that gradually intensified and made it impossible to put pressure on her legs. She was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hips, caused by prolonged use of prednisone. Verghese said this is not uncommon; the disease causes bones to die and collapse because of a temporary or permanent loss of blood supply.

While there are no statistics on the number of individuals with lupus who have been diagnosed with avascular necrosis, Myarick said she has known quite a few lupus sufferers who have had joint replacements because of it.

Dealing with the pain

For three years, the sharp, burning pain in Martinez's back and hips prevented her from being able to sit comfortably, stand up in the shower, climb stairs, go out with friends and do everyday activities most people take for granted.

"It was embarrassing to me ... I didn't want people to see me," Martinez said, starting to cry.

Martinez's grandmother, Barbara Denniston, said it was hard to watch her struggle with pain and not able to live a normal life.

"I don't think everybody can do it," said Denniston, with whom Martinez lived during part of her illness. "She's got a lot of willpower and a lot of drive."

But another life-changing event occurred in the fall of 2007 -- she became pregnant. It was a miracle in itself, as doctors had always told her she would not be able to get pregnant because of the strong medications she was on.

Her pregnancy was not easy. Javier Emileo Hurtado was born in March, two months early. Being bent over from the pain in her hips, she was unable to carry him upright, which caused her to go into early labor. The delivery caused her hips to crack even more.

Martinez visited a number of doctors in Chicagoland seeking help. She had a variety of procedures, but they only minimized the pain temporarily.

When she met Verghese, the pain was so debilitating she was curled up in her wheelchair and could not stand straight because her spine had curved over time.

Verghese suggested a hip replacement. Most doctors avoid doing them on young people because the implants have a limited life span, but Verghese said sometimes they are forced to in order to restore some quality of life.

This was the case with Martinez.

"My goal was to have surgery before he started crawling so I could chase him around," she said.

The two surgeries, which she had in June and August, replaced the joints in her hips with plastic artificial implants that Verghese said could last her a lifetime, depending on their wear and tear.

Each surgery required weeks of rehabilitation and physical therapy. She spent a few weeks in a nursing home after the first one, receiving daily physical therapy. By the Fourth of July, she was able to get around with a walker, and eventually graduated to using a cane. Three weeks following the second surgery, she was able to walk again on her own, and her spine had straightened out.

"She is amazingly tough," Verghese said.

Today, Martinez lives with her boyfriend, Javier Duane Hurtado, the baby's father, and is back to living an active, normal life. She looks forward to swimming and taking long walks with her son, now 10 months.

Her lupus is monitored now through regular doctor's appointments and lab tests, and she is treated with a short batch of medications when she has a flare-up. She also regularly takes a blood pressure medication to help her kidneys.

Said Martinez, "I owe everything that has happened to good luck."

Extortion attempt on John Travolta's family was foiled

John Travolta and his family's extortion attempt may be more extensive than originally thought. Bahamian Senator Pleasant Bridgewater resigned Saturday, January 24, after being arrested Thursday (and charged on Friday) on charges of abatement to extort and conspiracy to extort. She is the second government official the police have questioned in regard to the Travolta extortion complaint filed by John Travolta and Kelly Preston.

One source claims that the complaint alleges that the family was approached with photographs of the death scene with the intent of extorting money. A third individual, an ambulance driver, has been detained in connection with the extortion attempt as well.

According to the AFP, Senator Pleasant Bridgewater, a lawyer, maintains that she is innocent of the "untrue and unfair charges" leveled against her. "How these innocent actions can be misconstrued," she said, "so perversely twisted to mean something other than it was, is a mystery." She did not elaborate.

Former Bahamian tourism minister Obie Wilchcombe was taken in for questioning earlier this week but released pending further investigation. Tarino Lightbourne, an ambulance driver that assisted with attempts to revive the 16-year-old son of John Travolta after he collapsed at the Travoltas Bahamian vacation home, has been detained but not charged. Officials say Lightbourne turned himself in when he learned he was a suspect and is aiding in the investigation.

The investigation revolves around the death of Jett Travolta, the son of actor John Travolta and actress Kelly Preston, who was found on a bathroom floor of the Travolta family compound. The family originally stated that the young man, who was victim to chronic seizures, seemed to have collapsed and struck his head on a bathtub. Later statements from Bahamian police indicated that the coroner's report showed no signs of head trauma, but the official cause of death was listed as a seizure.

Jett Travolta was known to suffer from Kawasaki syndrome, a childhood malady that inflames and causes degenerative damage to the nervous system.

John Travolta and his family returned to their home in Florida with the cremated remains of Jett Travolta after the autopsy. And controversy followed them home.

But controversy has swirled around the death of the young man from the beginning. The family has suffered accusations of the nonuse of medications to treat Jett Travolta's seizures, allegations that Scientology (the Travoltas religion) was the ultimate cause of death, and that the family - or the family caretakers - was negligent in supervising him.

Somewhere in all the speculation of scandal and various accusations sits a grieving family. John Travolta earlier this month bowed out of attending the Golden Globe Awards. By all reports from friends and relatives, the family is devastated by the sudden loss. Thus far, nothing indicates that they are anything other than the victims of unfortunate circumstance, media infringement upon their privacy, and an unconscionable extortion attempt. Then why does it seem that the Travoltas are somehow being held accountable for it all?

What can cause a stroke in children?

Many children who have strokes experience them from unknown causes. There are some known causes of Childhood Stroke; they include the following things.

Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome is a result of Antiphospholipid Antibodies. Antibodies are usually produced by the immune system in order to fight foreign substances in the body, such as viruses and bacteria. At times, the body will recognize it's own cells as a foreign substance and the immune system will attempt to fight them. When a child has Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome, their body both recognizes and attempts to fight a part of their cell's membrane known as, 'Phospholipids,' as being foreign substances, producing antibodies to work against them.

MELAS Syndrome: MELAS Syndrome is a part of a group of muscular disorder and is rare. It occurs due to a defect in genetic material causing a portion of the cell's structure to release energy, resulting in disease of the muscles and brain. Symptoms of MELAS Syndrome include recurrent, stroke-like episodes involving headaches, followed by seizures and vomiting. Muscle weakness in one side of the body, and accumulation of lactic acid in the blood are additional symptoms. The child may have a noticeably short stature as well. The child may experience visual disturbances including either impaired vision or blindness in one half of their field of vision known as, 'Hemianopasia.' The child may experience complete blindness caused by lesions on the brain related to vision; a condition referred to as, 'Cortical Blindness.' The causes of MELAS Syndrome are not understood, although research has found that it does run in families.

Sickle Cell Anemia: Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease which causes red blood cells to produce abnormal hemoglobin, the portion of the blood that carries oxygen throughout the body. There are various forms of Sickle Cell Disease; some are mild, others are more serious. Sickle Cell Anemia is caused by Hemoglobin, 'S,' which is an abnormal type of Hemoglobin. A person inherits the disease from both of their parents, who carry Hemoglobin S.

Vasculitis: Vasculitis involves an inflammation in the blood vessel system. It affects arteries, veins and capillaries of any size or type, and in any location. Vasculitis has the potential to cause dysfunctions in any organ system in the body, to include the Peripheral Nervous Systems. Symptoms a person will experience depend on which blood vessels and organs have been affected. Vasculitis is something that is capable of occurring with other disorders, such as Temporal Arteritis.

Temporal Arteritis: Temporal Arteritis, also referred to as, 'Giant Cell Arteritis,' or, 'Cranial Arteritis,' involves an inflammation of the temporal artery. The temporal artery follows a path over the temple and beside the eye. There are several symptoms associated with Temporal Arteritis, to include muscle pain, pain when chewing, fever, stiffness, and tenderness in the temple area. Other symptoms of Temporal Arteritis include weight loss, anemia, shaking, fatigue, sweats, and vision loss.

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation: Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation is something that happens when a person's blood clotting mechanisms are activated throughout the entire body, instead of remaining localized to just an area which has been injured.

Embolus: An, 'Embolus,' is a clot which has formed at the location of a blockage, or in a place in the arterial tree, and then broken off and carried into the blood flow through smaller vessels where it then blocks one. Many times, an Embolus will form in the heart or a larger artery which leads away from it, and then travel to the brain or another organ.

Factor 'V' Leiden: Factor 'V' Leiden involves a phenomenon referred to as, 'APCR,' where a genetic mutation in the Factor V gene then produces a change in the Factor V protein. The result is that the protein then becomes resistant to inactivation by another protein; protein C.

Moyamoya Disease: Moyamoya Disease is a disease that affects blood vessels in the brain. Moyamoya disease is progressive, and is marked by the narrowing or closing of the main artery to the brain, causing paralysis in the person's upper extremities, legs, and feet. Symptoms of Moyamoya disease include psychiatric problems, mental retardation, vision problems, and headaches.

Illegal Drug Use: There is an increase in the percentage of childhood strokes in adolescent populations connected to illegal drug use. Both Hemorrhagic and Ischemic types of strokes have increased, and the most common illegal drugs involved include crack cocaine and smoked amphetamines, such as methamphetamines. Injected forms of illegal drugs are also responsible for an increase in strokes in this population.

Brain Infections

Encephalitis: There are various types of Encephalitis, which involves an inflammation of the brain; most are caused by a viral infection. Meningitis can be caused by several different forms of bacteria; viral Meningitis is usually limited to ten days or less. There are many symptoms of Encephalitis, including a sudden fever, vomiting, headache, sensitivity to light, confusion, irritability, confusion, clumsiness, stiff neck and back, and an unsteady gait. The following symptoms require immediate medical attention; poor responsiveness, loss of consciousness, seizures, muscle weakness, memory loss, sudden severe dementia, impaired judgment, and a withdrawal from social interaction.

Meningitis: Meningitis involves an infection of the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain. Symptoms of Meningitis can show up very suddenly. These symptoms include a serious and persistent headache, a high fever, nausea, vomiting, and a stiff neck. Emergency treatment may be needed for symptoms such as sleepiness, confusion, and difficulty waking up.

Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM): AVM is a congenital disorder which is characterized by complex, tangled webbing of veins and arteries.

Polycythemia: Polycythemia involves an overproduction of blood cells, causing a thickening of the child's blood. Polycythemia increases the blood's clotting tendency, as well as its viscosity.

Disorder Which Cause Blood Clotting: Disorders that cause blood clotting may lead to the potential for the child to experience a stroke.

Premature Birth: Premature Birth is considered to occur when a baby is born three weeks or more prior to the due date expected.

An Injury at Birth: Injuries which occur at birth have the potential to damage the brain and increase the risk of a stroke.

Chicken Pox: Chicken Pox, in extreme cases, has been found to be one cause of strokes in children.

Violence in hockey causes seizures!

Members of the Austin community alongside local dignitaries will join the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired students, staff and board of directors for a groundbreaking ceremony commemorating the three phases of construction on Friday, January 23 at 12:30 pm behind the Main Instructional Building.

The first phase of the construction began in 2007 when an elementary residential complex consisting of three student duplexes, playroom and residential office; a residential dormitory; and a four-unit student apartment were built. This phase was completed in 2008. Currently, Phase II includes the Main Instructional and Public Square Buildings. Construction of five new buildings includes a two-story main instructional building, a natatorium, student activity center, kitchen and dining facility, and fine arts auditorium began this past December.

Construction on this more than 118,360-square-foot-project will continue while classes are in session and is expected to be finished by June 2010. The project team includes owner, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, project manager, Texas Facilities Commission; general contractor, Walton Construction Company, LLC; and architect, Halff Associates Inc.

“The groundbreaking ceremony marks a historic day for the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired,” said Superintendent William Daugherty. “We are celebrating the construction of a facility to advance the education of Texas students who are blind and visually impaired, and create a campus suited for the 21st century and beyond.”

A third phase was awarded on Wednesday, January 21. This phase consists of the construction of seven new residential facilities. All buildings will be environmentally efficient and conform to the Americans With Disabilities Act standards. The project team selected includes Walton Construction and architect, Graeber, Simmons & Cowan.

Graeber, Simmons & Cowan also are working on several new building designs. Those include a new outreach and conference center, a new career education building, a new staff and IT office building, and a new elementary school building.

Superintendent Daugherty will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony. A reception will follow in the school’s cafeteria.

Funds for the campus improvement were originally authorized in the November 2001 general election. Texas voters approved the Proposition 8 amendment, which authorized $850 million in general obligation bond authority.

Walton Construction Company, LLC, which maintains full-service offices in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Mo., Dallas, and New Orleans is ranked among the top contractors in the United States by Engineering News Record. Established in 1985, Walton Construction has grown steadily to become a leader in pre-construction, general contracting, design-build and construction management services.

Members of the Austin community alongside local dignitaries will join the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired students, staff and board of directors for a groundbreaking ceremony commemorating the three phases of construction on Friday, January 23 at 12:30 pm behind the Main Instructional Building.

The first phase of the construction began in 2007 when an elementary residential complex consisting of three student duplexes, playroom and residential office; a residential dormitory; and a four-unit student apartment were built. This phase was completed in 2008. Currently, Phase II includes the Main Instructional and Public Square Buildings. Construction of five new buildings includes a two-story main instructional building, a natatorium, student activity center, kitchen and dining facility, and fine arts auditorium began this past December.

Construction on this more than 118,360-square-foot-project will continue while classes are in session and is expected to be finished by June 2010. The project team includes owner, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, project manager, Texas Facilities Commission; general contractor, Walton Construction Company, LLC; and architect, Halff Associates Inc.

“The groundbreaking ceremony marks a historic day for the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired,” said Superintendent William Daugherty. “We are celebrating the construction of a facility to advance the education of Texas students who are blind and visually impaired, and create a campus suited for the 21st century and beyond.”

A third phase was awarded on Wednesday, January 21. This phase consists of the construction of seven new residential facilities. All buildings will be environmentally efficient and conform to the Americans With Disabilities Act standards. The project team selected includes Walton Construction and architect, Graeber, Simmons & Cowan.

Graeber, Simmons & Cowan also are working on several new building designs. Those include a new outreach and conference center, a new career education building, a new staff and IT office building, and a new elementary school building.

Superintendent Daugherty will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony. A reception will follow in the school’s cafeteria.

Funds for the campus improvement were originally authorized in the November 2001 general election. Texas voters approved the Proposition 8 amendment, which authorized $850 million in general obligation bond authority.

Walton Construction Company, LLC, which maintains full-service offices in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Mo., Dallas, and New Orleans is ranked among the top contractors in the United States by Engineering News Record.

Established in 1985, Walton Construction has grown steadily to become a leader in pre-construction, general contracting, design-build and construction management services.

What you should know about Epilepsy and seizure disorders

What it is

Seizure disorder, or epilepsy, is caused by abnormal electrical signals in the brain, and effects about one-half of 1 percent of the population, though up to 5 percent of people may experience a seizure at some time in their lives.

It can be inherited at birth, or brought on by drugs, a blow to the head, a tumor, infection, a stroke, or unknown causes.

Seizures can be mild, causing tingling, uneasiness, and a blank stare; or they may be severe, causing convulsions, blackouts and other symptoms. If a seizure causes a person to stop breathing, it can cause death, though this is rare.

How it's treated

There is no known cure, but seizure disorder can often be controlled with medication. Other options include surgery to remove affected parts of the brain, or sending electrical impulses to the brain to inhibit unwanted activity.

It also can help to avoid triggers such as alcohol, stress and lack of sleep.

How to respond

If possible, make sure the person doesn't fall and suffer a head injury, and get them away from water. Lay the person in a clear area where they can't hit any hard objects, and cushion the head.
Don't try to restrain the person, don't move them, and don't put anything in the person's mouth.
Check for a medical bracelet that may list the person's condition or doctor. If this is the person's first seizure or they don't have a medical bracelet, call 911.

For someone who has a history of seizures, and is already under medical treatment for them, they may not need emergency treatment for a typical seizure. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than two to five minutes, is repeated, or they are not regaining consciousness between seizures.

When the seizure stops, the person may be disoriented or confused, but talk to them to see if they are all right or need any help.

Sources: Dr. Roy Sucholeiki, director of the Comprehensive Seizure and Epilepsy Program at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield; Dr. Prashanti Boppana, neurologist at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge; the National Institutes of Health

Pacemaker can control seizures

Life has changed - and very much for the better - for Dan Brewer ever since he got a pacemaker for his brain.

Born with epilepsy, which runs in his family, Brewer grew out of it, as many children do - until he was hit in the head by a line-drive while pitching in Little League at age 14.

After that, Brewer began to suffer severe seizures, sometimes four or five times a day.

These were not grand mal seizures, which typically involve relatively brief and intense convulsing. These were blackouts that last ten or 15 minutes, followed by being in a zoned-out state for two or three days.

As an adult, the condition kept Brewer, 19, from driving and forced him to move back home with his mother in Palatine. It also forced Brewer to miss work for days or months at a time, which he said kept him from getting promotions on the job.

He tried a bewildering array of expensive medications, but none stopped the seizures, and many had nasty, stupefying side effects.

So when Brewer heard about vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, he was eager to try it.

Neurologist Prashanthi Boppana implanted a small battery disc in Brewer's upper chest and ran a thin wire under the skin to the vagus nerve, which transmits signals to help control the electrical impulses in the brain that cause seizures.

For epileptics whose medications don't work, VNS is not a cure, but it helps lessen the frequency and severity of seizures, and can reduce reliance on drugs.

Brewer now suffers attacks only once every six weeks or so, they're less severe, and he recovers much more quickly. If he feels a seizure coming on, as epileptics sometimes do, he can pass a special magnet over the implant to activate the signal and help quell the attack.

Now, Brewer has been promoted to a supervisory position at his job at Wal-Mart, where his insurance covered most of the cost of the surgery. He also hopes to get a driver's license.
He gets mild laryngitis and a brief shortness of breath when the device goes off for a few seconds every few minutes, but he's gotten used to it, and is glad to have more control over his life.

Stress and seizures are not linked

Stress in the workplace has no effect on the incidence of seizures among people with epilepsy, the results of a new study indicate.Epilepsy is a neurological condition that is diagnosed when a person has recurrent seizures caused by excess electrical activity in the brain. An estimated 35,000 people in Ireland are affected, making it the most common serious neurological condition here.

According to researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel, people with epilepsy are often discriminated against in the workplace, partly because many employers do not want to hire them for fear that stress will bring on a seizure. However this latest study – the largest of its kind - suggests that these fears are groundless.

Over 300,000 people with no history of the condition were surveyed and their answers were compared to a sample of 16,000 people with epilepsy.The last major study to investigate the risk of occupational stress on epilepsy, reported a few years ago by the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on a sample size of only 200 people.

With such a large sample size in this study, Dr Shlomo Moshe was able to predict with high levels of certainty when - and whether - seizures might strike.“People are prejudiced against epileptics, who learn how to hide their condition very well. It becomes a problem when they’re trying to get work, because most employers avoid hiring epileptics.

But occupational physicians have been asking for years, ‘what are the real risks?’ Our new study provides the answer,” Dr Moshe insisted.Over a period of three years, the researchers compared the rate of seizures to the types of duties each group of subjects was assigned to perform – manual labour, combat fighting or office work.“

The type of assignment didn't affect a person’s chance of having a seizure at all. The biggest predictor of recurrence is time - when the last seizure struck. Those that had seizures more than five years ago have little to worry about today,” Dr. Moshe said.

He added that the findings should reassure those with the condition, as well as employers and health insurance companies.Details of these findings are published in the journal, Epilepsia.

For more information on epilepsy, see…http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/epilepsy/index.html

United Kingdom is testing new medication delivery system

Lexingtonians rushed to the emergency room because of a seizure may soon be part of a clinical trial.

The trial, which the University of Kentucky is leading locally, will examine whether anti-seizure medication can be delivered faster with an auto-injector – a spring-loaded, single-dose syringe – than the traditional IV method.

“IVs can be hard to start quickly in patients who are seizing violently,” said Dr. Roger Humphries, chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at UK. UK is one of 17 medical institutions nationwide participating in the study.

Normally clinical trials require participants to give consent. However, in this case, study participants won’t be able to consent; they’ll be in the midst of a seizure. The trial is being operated under an FDA exception that requires UK to educate residents about the study. In addition, the medical center is offering opt-out bracelets for those who do not want to participate.

The trial is expected to begin within the next month.

Study participants will be given one of two medications – Lorazepam and Midazolam.
Both medications are already used to stop seizures.

Residents can get more information about the study or request an opt-out bracelet by calling (859)257-6703.

Teen years are difficult years when dealing with seizures

Chronic seizures can present a risk for adolescents, whose bodies and metabolism are changing.

Jett Travolta was the elder of John Travolta and Kelly Preston's two children.

A seizure disorder caused the death of Jett Travolta, the 16-year-old son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston, a source at a Bahamas funeral home told CNN.

"Literally dozens of different disorders can cause seizures: genetics, stroke, brain tumor, lack of oxygen, low blood sugar, drugs, even certain medications," said Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent.

Another expert said the teen years bring risks for those with seizures. "Adolescence is a time, even if you don't talk about children with any seizure disorder, where things change in a child," said Dr. Shlomo Shinnar of Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

There are effective drugs to treat seizures. As children grow, their bodies and metabolism change, perhaps causing a need to adjust their dosage, said Shinnar, a professor of neurology and pediatrics and director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center at Montefiore.

"Seizures during adolescence can get better or worse or stay the same," he said.

And the risk of seizures is higher for children with disabilities such as autism and cerebral palsy, Shinnar said.

Jett Travolta had a developmental disability that his parents have linked to Kawasaki disease, an inflammatory disorder of the artery walls that most commonly occurs in young children.

An autopsy of the actors' son was completed Monday, and the body was cremated that evening, the funeral home source said.

Jett was found unconscious in the bathroom Friday while on vacation with his family. Michael Ossi, an attorney for Travolta, told CNN last week that Jett had a seizure that morning at the family's home in a resort area. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital and pronounced dead on arrival, according to local police.

People.com reported that Travolta, Preston and their 8-year-old daughter Ella Blue arrived in Florida on Monday night with Jett's ashes.The reports that a seizure disorder caused Jett's death were preliminary, Gupta said.

"It tells us more about what did not happen than the ultimate cause of death. It rules out brain injury, bleeding on brain, skull fractures, rules out heart problems due to Kawasaki disease, which is the disease the Travoltas say their son suffered," he said.

Kawasaki disease, believed to be caused by an infection, inflames the heart muscles. In 2001, Travolta told CNN's Larry King that his son had a near brush with death related to the condition.
"I was obsessive about cleaning -- his space being clean, so we constantly had the carpets cleaned. And I think, between him, the fumes and walking around, maybe picking up pieces or something, he got what is rarely a thing to deal with, but it's Kawasaki syndrome," Travolta said of his then-2-year-old son.

Dr. Cam Patterson, general cardiologist at the University of North Carolina and a genetics expert who follows Kawasaki disease, told CNN, "There is no real good link at all between Kawasaki disease and cleaning products.

"Kawasaki disease is due to an abnormal immunnologic response, probably to an infectious agent or infection we don't yet understand," Patterson said. "There is nothing that links environmental toxins to this problem."

Someone with Kawasaki could have seizures for one of two reasons, but they would be rare, he said.

"One, sometime in the past one of the arteries in the brain ruptured and caused stroke," he said. "Two, if the artery had enlarged enough, it could be pressing on parts of brain and that could cause seizure. Both possibilities are unusual for Kawasaki disease."

A very small study released in 1991 found an association between cases of Kawasaki disease in homes where carpet had been cleaned in the past 30 days.

"It's very easy to find correlations, but doesn't mean causative," Patterson said.

The next step would have been to conduct more tests, by taking toxicological tests and brain examinations to see what could have caused the seizure.

"Even with physical evidence and a deeper look by neuropathologists, we still may never have an answer," Gupta said on CNN's American Morning.

Common myths about seizures

A SMALL consolation to draw from the death of John Travolta’s 16-year-old son, Jett, is that epilepsy got rare media mention.

A post mortem revealed Jett died from a seizure.

It is an illness that still carries some stigma in the public eye. So perhaps it is a good time to debunk some epilepsy myths.

ONE FIT EQUALS EPILEPSY:

No it doesn’t — but the terminology is confusing.

A fit and a seizure are the same thing — a brain “short circuit”. So what’s epilepsy? Repeated seizures.

Anyone can have one fit — around one in ten of us suffer a single seizure at some time.

But only about three per cent have repeated problems and so end up with the epilepsy label.

EPILEPSY ALWAYS CAUSES LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND SHAKING:

That’s just one sort of fit — there are many other types.

In some, you remain awake but suffer, say, odd attacks where one arm or leg shakes. I
n others — petit mal, which usually affects children — the child may just go blank for a few seconds.
Then there are febrile convulsions — these are shaking fits which occasionally happen in feverish children below the age of five. Only a few of these go on to develop true epilepsy.

YOU NEED SPECIAL TESTS TO BE DIAGNOSED EPILEPTIC:

Wrong. Sure, when you see a specialist about your seizures, you’ll probably have some tests. But they’re not what clinch the diagnosis.

Some — such as a scan — check for any underlying problem in the brain.

Others, like an EEG — a brainwave test — give other useful clues. But the key piece of evidence is an eyewitness account of your seizure.

So anyone who saw what happened should tag along for your first appointment.

THERE’S ALWAYS A CAUSE FOR FITS: Not so. A single seizure might result from a head injury, fever, medication, too much booze, drug withdrawal and so on.

But in most, no cause is found — as is the case in repeated fits, too.

Some epileptics find certain things tend to trigger seizures, though — such as strobe lights, stress, excess alcohol or lack of sleep.

IF SOMEONE’S HAVING A FIT, YOU SHOULD STOP THEM BITING THEIR TONGUE:

This is one of the oldest myths in the book — and it’s wrong.

You just risk hurting yourself and the patient.

Simply put something soft under their head to prevent injury. And, when the fit’s over, roll them on to their side — into the “recovery position”.

FITS MEAN PILLS — FOREVER:

Not necessarily. Remember, this might have been a one-off seizure.

But if you’re having repeated fits, chances are you’ll be offered treatment to keep them at bay.
That doesn’t necessarily mean for life, though.

Over half of epileptics eventually stop their pills — though they should only do so with advice from their doctor.

IT’S OBVIOUS WHEN SOMEONE’S HAVING A FIT:

Not always — many things can mimic a seizure.

Especially faints. In fact, if you faint but are held upright — on the Tube, say, or in a football crowd — your body can shake, like a fit.

Heart problems, panic attacks and migraines can cause similar symptoms.

Fatal seizures are responsible for man discovered in the woods

The investigation continues after a man was found dead in a wooded area not far from his New Martinsville home.

The body of Michael Ryan, 41, was found Sunday, two days after his family reported he was missing.

While detectives said they are treating the case as a homicide, they are also looking at Ryan’s health, which included a history of seizures.

“There is a possibility that he died of a medical condition as well. Right now, we’re looking into both,” said New Martinsville Police Detective Donnie Harris.

Harris said if Ryan died of a medical condition, it is still not clear why he was found off a main road in the woods.

While Harris said the victim suffered from seizures, he said investigators also found physical injuries on his body that indicated he was in a fight.

Monday afternoon, police were still piecing together what led to Ryan’s death. Harris said police interviewed a person who spoke with Ryan on Dec. 30 and said “we’re getting closer to the end now.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

Kawasaki Disease is not linked to seizures disorder

Kawasaki Disease almost killed Jett Travolta when he was a toddler, but experts said it was unlikely the rare childhood disorder led to his reported seizure Friday.

"Seizures are not part of Kawasaki disease," said Dr. Stanford Shulman, a specialist in the disease at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

"If a teenager had a seizure and died, that would not commonly be due to Kawasaki disease."
The sickness, more common in young boys, leads to fever, rash, red eyes and swollen hands and feet.

Its cause is controversial. Some, like Jett's actress mom, Kelly Preston, believe environmental toxins trigger the symptoms. Others blame a virus.

If left untreated, Kawasaki can cause blood clots and heart attacks, even later in life.

About 4,000 cases of Kawasaki disease are diagnosed each year in the U.S.A., virtually all in young children, Shulman said.

"Nowadays, no more than 2% or 3% of cases develop significant coronary artery abnormalities, so deaths are rare, but they do occur," he said.

Some research has pointed to seizures in kids suffering from acute Kawasaki disease.

A deathly ill Jett was rushed to the hospital when he was 2 and diagnosed with the disease, his parents have said. His mother said he recovered with the help of a detoxification program but still had "allergies."

Police in the Bahamas Friday said they were told Jett had a history of seizures.

John Travolta and Kelly Preston mourn the passing of their son Jett

John Travolta is mourning the death of his son Jett.

Hollywood actor John Travolta was said to be devastated last night following the death of his 16-year-old son during a family holiday in the Bahamas.

Jett, the star’s eldest child with wife and actress Kelly Preston, suffered a fatal seizure.

Despite desperate attempts to revive him, the teenager died at the family’s oceanfront home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, Michael Ossi confirmed.

Ossi, the Travolta family lawyer, said Jett had a history of seizures.

No exact cause of death was given, but his parents have said in the past that Jett suffered from Kawasaki Syndrome, a rare condition that can lead to heart disease.

Kawasaki disease predominantly affects young children, with 80 per cent of patients younger than five years old, and boys are more likely to suffer with it than girls.

The condition is characterised by high fever, skin rashes and a swelling of the lymph nodes, but can lead to heart attacks caused by inflammation of blood vessels in the coronary arteries.

Kawasaki disease is one of the most common causes of acquired heart disease among children in the U.S.


Jett was understood to have been found unconscious in a bathtub and was rushed to Rand Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

In a 2002 interview, Preston said her son became ‘very, very sick with high fever and swollen glands and peeling fingers and rash all over his body’ when he was three years old.

She believes exposure to carpet-cleaning chemicals was responsible for his illness and as a result the Jerry Maguire actress became a crusader for the development and use of safe household chemicals.

Travolta and wife Kelly Preston, pictured at the premiere of Hairspray last year.

Travolta, who named one of his many airplanes after his son, said the teenager loved outdoor pursuits.

The couple said recently they were hoping to have another baby. They married in 1991 and have a daughter, Ella, who is eight.

The actor, who has starred in a string of hit films over more than three decades, including Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction and Hairspray, was previously involved with actress Diana Hyland, who died of breast cancer in 1977.

Toddler died of seizures suspected to be caused by abuse

Police released new information in what they are calling the suspicious death of a two year old girl in Fairborn.

They also released a phone call Wednesday.

Two year old Juliana Berry was home alone with her mother's boyfriend when he called for help.
"Ma'am I swear baby please what happened to you? Oh my God," he explained.

The desperate call came from the home at 233 Pat Lane in Fairborn Saturday morning around 10am.

Two-year old Juliana Berry's mom's boyfriend told a dispatcher he thought the little girl might be having a seizure with eyes rolled back in her head.

"I need for you to be calm for me ok?" the dispatcher said.

"I'm not being calm believe me ma'am I've started slapping her and everything," he said.
He didn't know how to perform CPR, so the dispatcher tried to help him through it until police arrived.

"When officers arrived they performed CPR on the child and the ambulance arrived shortly thereafter and immediately took the child to Children's Medical in Dayton," Fairborn Police Sgt. Matt Ricketts said.

Little Juliana survived for two days, but died on Monday.

"We are treating this as a suspicious death and people are being interviewed that resided in the home and the parents and relatives of the child," Ricketts said.

Police say the death is suspicious because of injuries that seemed to have occurred before hand.
In the call, the man seems to try to explain them.

"Has she had seizures before?" the dispatcher asked.

"Yeah she had one a couple days ago, but it was real short i didn't think nothing of it, she hit her head," the caller said.

Children Services has never been called to the home.

Police say they'll wait on the coroner's final report before deciding whether to present charges to the prosecutor.

That report isn't expected for several weeks.

Reported by Dave D'Marko

People living with Epilepsy can handle stressful jobs!

Subject to sudden unexpected seizures, epileptics are often a subject of discrimination in the workforce. Many employers are hesitant to hire epileptics, fearing that stressful workplace situations might bring on an attack. But a new Tel Aviv University study suggests these fears are groundless.

New research findings from Dr. Shlomo Moshe of TAU’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine show that occupational stress has no effect at all on the incidence of epilepsy attacks. The research also gives physicians and employers important information to assess the health and safety of prospective employees who suffer from the disease. It especially benefits those who have been seizure-free for a long period of time, because indicators show they are likely to stay seizure-free.

“People are prejudiced against epileptics, who learn how hide their condition very well,” says Dr. Moshe. “It becomes a problem when they’re trying to get work, because most employers avoid hiring epileptics. But occupational physicians have been asking for years, ‘What are the real risks?’ Our new study provides the answer.”

Unprecedented in Size and Predictive Power

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, more than 3 million Americans suffer from epilepsy and 200,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. One in 10 adults will have a seizure sometime in their lifetime. There is no cure for the disorder, and even when it’s in remission, there is a strong stigma against people with epilepsy.

The largest of its kind ever conducted, Dr. Moshe’s study, recently reported in the journal Epilepsia, surveyed over 300,000 people with no history of epilepsy and compared them to a sample of 16,000 epileptics. The last major study to investigate the risk of occupational stress on epilepsy, reported a few years ago by the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on a sample size of only 200 people, making this new Tel Aviv University study a real first in medical history.

With such a large sample size, Dr. Moshe is able to predict with high levels of certainty when ― and whether ― seizures might strike. This will reassure those with the disease, as well as the employers and insurance companies who provide health coverage for them.

“We proved with very high levels of predictability that we can pinpoint the chances of a person having another seizure,” says Dr. Moshe, who is also a practicing physician at Maccabi Healthcare Services, an occupational health clinic in Tel Aviv. “For example, if we see that someone had their last attack as a child, we can show that their chances for a full remission of epilepsy are quite high.”

A Matter of Timing

Over a period of three years, the researchers in the Israeli study compared the rate of seizures to the types of duties each group of subjects was assigned to perform ― manual labor, combat fighting, or office work.

“The type of assignment didn't affect a person’s chance of having a seizure at all. The biggest predictor of recurrence is time ― when the last seizure struck. Those that had seizures more than five years ago have little to worry about today,” Dr. Moshe advises.

Dr. Moshe is an occupational physician, working in Maccabi Healthcare Services. The organization supports and encourages clinical research taking place in the community in cooperation with Tel Aviv University and other University-affiliated medical centres.

Adapted from materials provided by Tel Aviv University.

What are the options if medications cannot control your epileptic seizures?

Question: I have tried several different medications for my epilepsy, but my seizures are not controlled. What other treatment options are there?

Answer: Unfortunately for some people with epilepsy, currently available medications are unable to completely control seizures. In fact, for about 1 in 3 with epilepsy, seizures remain uncontrolled. This is called "medication resistant" or "refractory" epilepsy.

Once an individual does not respond to trials of three different seizure medications, the chance for complete seizure control is less than 10 percent. Fortunately, there are other options available that may offer good chances for seizure control.

Categories of Epilepsy

The first step in determining treatments for medication resistant epilepsy is to determine the epilepsy syndrome. There are two major categories of epilepsies: partial in onset and generalized in onset.

In partial epilepsy, seizures begin in a specific or focal area of the brain. In the generalized epilepsies, seizures do not arise in a focal region of the brain, but involve the entire brain at seizure onset.

The distinction between partial and generalized epilepsies is made by taking a complete history of the epilepsy (age on onset, types of seizures) and by using the electroencephalogram (EEG).
The type of epilepsy affects the choice of medication because some seizure medications are not effective for generalized epilepsies. Thus, one of the potential reasons that an individual may continue to have seizures is the incorrect medication is chosen for the epilepsy type.

Another Option

If a patient has partial epilepsy, then surgery may be an excellent treatment option and may offer up to a 60 to 90 percent chance of seizure freedom depending on the results of a comprehensive pre-surgical evaluation.

The evaluation for surgery is performed at specialized epilepsy centers and basically involves pinpointing the location in the brain of seizure onset. There are multiple tests that are performed including video/EEG monitoring, several different brain imaging tests and testing of language and memory function.

Unfortunately, many patients who are good candidates for epilepsy surgery are never referred for evaluation and these individuals continue to have unnecessary seizures despite being excellent candidates for surgery.

This week's NetWellness column is authored by Dr. David M Ficker, associate director, Cincinnati Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati.
Sign up for the NetWellness Monthly Newsletter.

You can visit the National Association of Epilepsy Centers web site to locate the closest epilepsy center.