Epilepsy for Kids

Overview

Sometimes you lose control of your mind and body for a little while. Your doctor says you have "epilepsy." But what causes it, and what does it do to you? Let's learn all about it.

Mixed signals

To find the cause of epilepsy, let's go inside your brain. This is where we find special nerve cells we call "neurons." They use electricity to talk to each other. But if you have epilepsy, sometimes your neurons get a little mixed up. They send messages that don't make sense. And while this is happening, your mind and your body do some unusual things. We call this a "seizure."

Seizures

What happens when you have a seizure? Well, not all seizures are the same. You may suddenly feel scared or confused. You may see, hear or smell things that aren't really there. Your body can start to move in odd ways. Maybe you feel frozen in place. Maybe you fall down and jerk around. Your seizure can last for a few minutes. And when it's over, you may not know what happened or where you are. Different kids have different types of seizures.

Staying safe

So, what do we do about epilepsy? Well, we try to keep you from having seizures. Some kids take medicine for this. There may be other things you can do, too. Your doctor will give you a plan to stay safe.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.