General information about seizure disorders

1. What happens when someone has a seizure?
2. Should I put something in my friends mouth when they are having a seizure or 'fit'?
3. How long do seizures need to last before they cause brain damage?
4. Are people with seizure disorders normally aggressive?
5. How common are seizure disorders?
6. Will I ever grow out of the seizures or will I always have seizures?
7. So far seizures have only occurred during sleep. Are they likely to occur when awake?
8. Will the seizures get worse with age?
9. When can one say that they no longer have a seizure disorder?
10. Can people die from epilepsy?

Triggers and Causes

1. Why have seizures suddenly started again after a long period of no seizures?
2. Why have seizures started at this age?
3. Why do seizures happen at the same time, every time?
4. Is excessive alcohol a cause of seizures?
5. What can trigger seizures?
6. Why do seizures occur more often when I am stressed?
7. Do some people have seizures when they are sleeping?

Taking Medications

1. How do I know if I am taking the right medication for my type of seizure disorder?
2. How do the drugs work?
3. Is it risky to withdraw from medications even if the doctor suggests I do so?
4. Are other medications safe for people taking antiepileptic medications?
5. How often are antiepileptic drug blood levels necessary?
6. Are medications still needed if seizures have not occurred for a long time?
7. The potential side-effects of anti-epileptic drugs are vast. What is the likelihood of experiencing these effects and what are the important and common ones?
8. Do all antiepileptic medications have side effects?

Surgery

1. Who is suitable for surgery?
2. How do they know which part of the brain is causing seizures?
3. What are the risks?
4. When should someone seek a second opinion?

Driving

1. Can I drive?
2. Who notifies the Road and Traffic Authority about seizures?
3. When can a person with epilepsy get a driver's license?

Employment

1. What type of work can a person with epilepsy safely apply for?
2. What do I do if I feel I have been discriminated against?

Alternative & Complimentary Therapies

1. Are there any alternative or complimentary therapies available?

Diet

1. Are there any foods that people with epilepsy should eat or avoid?
2. What is the ketogenic diet?

Women

1. Can women with epilepsy take the contraceptive pill?
2. Do some women have seizures associated with their periods?
3. Can women with epilepsy have children?
4. What are the risks of taking antiepileptic medications during pregnancy?
5. Can women taking antiepileptic medication breast feed their baby?

Parents of children with epilepsy

1. Why has my child started having seizure at this age?
2. I notice that my child has more seizures when tired - is that normal?
3. Can my child watch TV and play video games?
4. Does my child have epilepsy because he/ she had convulsions with a temperature as a baby?
5. Should I expect my child to have a learning difficulty?
6. Is epilepsy the reason why my child is a slow learner?

Drugs & Alcohol

1. Can I drink alcohol?
2. What about recreational drugs?

Recreation

1. Can I go swimming?
2. Can I play sport?
3. Can I go on a school camp?
4. My parents are overprotective, how do I stop this?

Education & School

1. What should I tell my child's teacher?
2. Should the other children in the class know about my child's epilepsy?
3. Can students be prevented from doing or completing courses because they have a seizure disorder?