Epilepsy in children and young people

• Have an awareness that epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain, which is defined as a tendency to have unprovoked seizures

• Understand that it is one of the most common neurological conditions

• Recognise that a seizure involves a sudden burst of unnecessary electrical activity in the brain, which disrupts the way the brain usually functions

• Understand the types of seizure, their presentation and the nursing care young patients require

Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and is defined as a tendency to have unprovoked seizures (Kwan and Brody, 2010; Epilepsy Action, 2019). It is possible for an individual to have an isolated seizure without having epilepsy. A diagnosis of the condition will usually be made only if someone has had more than one seizure and the medical team considers that the person will have more (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2018). Epilepsy can start at any age and varies from a condition that lasts a set period to one that can be lifelong (Kwan and Brody, 2010).

It is one of the most common neurological conditions (Meeraus et al, 2013) (Box 1), commonly diagnosed in childhood (Kwan and Brody, 2010), which affects around 50 million people worldwide. In some cases, the cause for the condition will remain unknown. However, there are some known reasons:

References

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Carmassi C, Corsi M, Gesi C et al. Full and partial DSM-5 PTSD in parents of children with epilepsy: exploring gender differences. European Psychiatry. 2017; 41(1):S722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1307 

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Epilepsy Action. About epilepsy. 2019. https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/about (accessed 6 December 2022)

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust. Buccal midazolam. 2017. https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/medicines-information/buccal-oromucosal-midazolam/ (accessed 6 December 2022) 

International League Against Epilepsy. Instruction