A Child with Epilepsy

" you know being sent placed any I and then -- I feel things test -- Ani an eighteen means down I didn't. For -- Iran -- that means life is filled with friends school and family I can. And then -- said in some way -- by a I -- And while Andy ran ski has the hopes and dreams of any seventeen year old there is something that makes her different I've had epilepsy on my life. Epilepsy. A condition that causes seizures is the most common neurological problem affecting children."

" I think there's still a significant social stigma. Unfortunately attached with a diagnosis of epilepsy. And done. It's important to reassure families that -- down. That their children are normal in all respects. That. That there's good treatment available."

" It didn't -- man Brian -- Einstein thing. But -- mother has different memories. It was first diagnosed with epilepsy at three weeks self -- shaking of her arm just like this and it turned out to be focal seizures -- left arm I was really upset."

" Epilepsy impact on a family has much to do with the nature of the seizures which may vary in frequency and severity. The children have more frequent facetious conflict begins to affect them socially because kids begin to see them as different epilepsy can be experienced in many different ways."

" Generalized seizures that come in several types the most common is a seizure that involves. -- stiffening. Which is called atomic seizure or jerking which is called a chronic seizure. And when both of those happened in the same seizure it would be called a tonic chronic seizure."

" Andy experienced her epilepsy as partial complex seizures."

" Epilepsy is also divided. At least focal epilepsy is divided as to whether or not awareness is retained. Or lost during a -- for example the arm can jerk and the child is completely aware of it. Other seizures. Are. Accompanied by a compromise that awareness and consciousness. And child simply is unaware of what he or she is doing and has no memory for the seizure whatsoever when it's over."

" This may partly explain why Andy remembers so little of her early epilepsy. "

" It was pretty that was very bad actually. That she doesn't remember very much about it which I guess is good in a way."

" Yet ending was seizure free without medication from age two to age six. It was in that sixth year that epilepsy reappeared."

" Eight came back with a vengeance when it was more than just focusing seizures at that point it was all different Texas he shifts in this terrible yeah I was I mean she was in an out of the hospital like four times in one year. And on a variety of drugs because they couldn't -- controlled. At that point and these doctors tried to get her epilepsy under control with a combination of drugs but there were problems. And there are a lot of different side effects on. Some of them made her week. You know her walking. Off kilter she always looked off balance major side effects with her learning her cognitive learning ability dropped substantially. Five years ago doctors tried using mono therapy or single medication therapy."

" Mono therapy offers many advantages the most important is that it's a very simple to administer you have one drug. There's no drug drug interaction and you have the best control over Iran over that medication the adverse effect profile is very low meaning that the medications are very well tolerated. Most pediatric neurologists to that a deal with children epilepsy will start with mono therapy."

" I am now seizure free for five years Andy's found success with mono therapy. For a busy -- taking just one medications simplifies life."

" I take medication and and a day. Anything pain medication paint and may play a heated -- in the membrane. Needs. At and treatment still requires adjustment. It makes me think low iron and where four iron play. I can give the last. Like any benefit and even if there is side effects. I'm used to it and that's just her at this point and I don't even know what you would be like without medication for Andy."

" Mono therapy works the debt may not always be the case adjunct to therapy. It implies that what you're doing is you're adding on the second -- so instead of the patient being on one drug. They will be on two drugs and sometimes we need to do that now and these limitations are few common sense would tell you that you don't want -- to -- mountain climbing."

" You don't attempt to go deep sea diving and time and you don't want them to go bungee jump. Can they take football actually it's."

" Com and can they play tennis can they go bicycling yes I stressed to all the families that the children should be treated no differently research -- epilepsy continues. Stem cell in genetic therapy holds future promise for this difficult disease. But for now Andy -- is right where she wants to be."

" A lot of my friends know they can defend. I'm glad they hadn't meaning apple let me. And for men and cash. And then change mean this fame and everyone around."