The REAL Project Research & Epilepsy Awareness Shona Sulzbach What is Epilepsy: What to do if you see someone having a seizure: - Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that presents - Time the seizure. itself in the form of a seizure. - Remain calm - A person must have more than one seizure to be - Stay with the person until the seizure ends and diagnosed with epilepsy. they are fully awake. - Epilepsy does not discriminate and 1/26 people - Comfort the person as they regain full will develop a seizure disorder in their life. Consciousness. Types of Epilepsy: Only call 911 if: - There are two broad categories: generalized - The person has not had a seizure before. and focal. - The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes. - Not all seizures present themselves with the loss - The person is hurt during the seizure. of consciousness and convulsions. - The seizure occurred in water. - Many seizure disorders include types of seizures - The person has difficulty walking or breathing where the person goes into “a trance”. after the seizure ends. What is CURE? - The person has another seizure just after the What Causes Epilepsy: - Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) first - Genetics, brain injury or trauma, and/or is a nonprofit organization that works to One. structural changes (tumors, growths, nerve promote epilepsy research. damage). - It was founded in 1998 by Susan Axelrod and a DO NOT: - About half of all people diagnosed with epilepsy small group of parents of children with - Hold the person down or try to stop the seizure. do not know the cause. epilepsy. - Try to open/put anything in the person’s mouth. - Since then, CURE has raised more than $50 - Try to give mouth-to-mouth. million to fund epilepsy research - Give the person food or water until after they Myth Buster:: - CURE funds grants for young and established are - A person having a seizure can swallow their investigators fully alert. tongue ~ it is impossible to swallow your tongue. - To date, CURE has awarded more than 200 - All epileptics are affected by flashing lights ~ cutting-edge projects in 15 countries around Our Mission: only the world in their search for a cure. - Raise epilepsy awareness about 3% of epileptics are affected by flashing - Initiatives CURE currently funds: - Bust some of the many misconceptions of lights (Photosensitive Epilepsy). Epilepsy Genetics Initiative (EGI) epilepsy and its causes. - All seizures cause you to jerk ~ there are many Post-Traumatic Epilepsy - Fundraise for CURE types of seizures and not all of them cause Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Epilepsy remains one of the most Convulsions and loss of consciousness . (SUDEP) underfunded health conditions Infantile Spasm Initiative Our Goal: - We are striving to raise $2,000 for the CURE References: foundation to continue their efforts in finding - Epilepsy Society ~ www.epilepsysociety.org.uk the causes and cure for epilepsy. - CURE ~ www.cureepilepsy.org - We appreciate any and all help we can get! - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ~ www.ninds.nih.gov Please donate online at - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ~ http://cureep.convio.net/goto/goreal www.cdc.gov.