Eric Schumacher knows all too well the trials and tribulations of tracking seizures and daily activities in the ongoing attempt to gain seizure control. Diagnosed with epilepsy in his teens, he is now bringing a new and innovative tool to the market that could help countless people with epilepsy gain better control over their seizures and thus…

This study investigates the compensatory impact of cognitive aids on left and right temporal lobe epileptic patients suffering from verbal memory disorders, who were candidates for surgery. Cognitive aids are defined in the levels-of-processing framework and deal with the depth of encoding, the elaboration of information, and the use of retrieval…

In adolescents, diagnosing seizures can be challenging and can lead to many pitfalls. Because seizures are episodic and unpredictable events, they usually do not occur in the doctor's office. Thus, a diagnosis of epilepsy is usually based on information presented by the person with seizures and their family. Together with results of diagnostic…

A mother of a son with epilepsy and dyslexia offers 10 guidelines for parents including: acknowledge your grief; recognize assets and limitations; encourage independence; ignore unsolicited advice; be proud of your child's achievements; make use of financial aid; subscribe to newsletters; get to know your child's physician; and make time for…

Many physicians encourage epileptic patients to lead active lives and put few, if any, restrictions on their choice of sports. Specific sports and their potential risks are discussed. (Author/MT)

A study involving 25 undergraduates in an introductory special education class did not establish a change in attitudes toward a student who simulated a seizure. Findings did, however, reveal an increase in positive attitudes toward the person who gave assistance. (CL)

The condition is defined, and some of its manifestations are outlined, including petit mal epilepsy, psychomotor epilepsy, and grand mal epilepsy. Constructive ways to deal with epileptic students are suggested, including specific ways to handle a seizure, should one occur. (DLS)

In an effort to better understand the relationships of the physical and psychosocial factors to each other and to quality of life among people with epilepsy, the authors developed and evaluated an exploratory model. The results have implications for rehabilitation professionals who work with people with epilepsy. (Contains 48 references.) (GCP)

Although Benign Childhood Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes (BECTS) has a good prognosis, a few studies have suggested the existence of language disorders relating to the interictal dysfunction of perisylvian language areas. In this study, we focused on language assessment in 16 children aged 6-15 currently affected by BECTS or in remission. An…

Patients with Taylor's type focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) present with seizures that are often medically intractable. Here, we attempted to identify the cellular and pharmacological mechanisms responsible for this epileptogenic state by using field potential and K[superscript +]-selective recordings in neocortical slices obtained from epileptic…

The comorbidity of seizures, epilepsy, and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) prompted the examination of whether atomoxetine use for ADHD is associated with an increased risk of seizures. Seizures and seizure-related symptoms were reviewed from two independent Eli Lilly and Company databases: the atomoxetine clinical trials database…

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) within a large representative population sample: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Cases of ASD were identified from the clinical notes of children in the ALSPAC with a suspected developmental disorder and from the Pupil Level…

The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children-Second Edition (BASC-2) was administered to 108 parents and 37 teachers of children with epilepsy (mean age of 10.6 years; 51% female, 49% male). Results demonstrated high mean scores on the Atypicality, Attention Problems, Withdrawal, and Adaptive Skills scales and a high percentage of At-Risk or…

This paper presents a review of all patients with Down syndrome seen over a 5-year period by one consultant neurologist in general outpatient and specialist cognitive function clinics. It revealed only 7 cases in greater than 4500 general referrals (= 0.2%), all referred with suspected seizure disorders. The diagnosis of epilepsy was confirmed in…

Vocational interests of a hospital affiliated outpatient sample with epilepsy (N=71) were examined using the Strong Campbell Interest Inventory. Ss were categorized to examine effects of severity of seizure type, age of seizure onset, and sex. As a group, vocational interest scores on the General Occupational Theme Scales were not greatly…