Knowing if a person is having a seizure and diagnosing the type of seizure or epilepsy syndrome can be difficult. There are many other disorders that can cause changes in behavior and can be confused with epilepsy. Since the treatment of seizures depends on an accurate diagnosis, making sure that a person has epilepsy and knowing what kind is a critical first step.

What happens during a seizure is one of the most important pieces of information. And, since seizures rarely happen in a doctor's office, the information given to the doctor and other health care professionals by you or other witnesses is extremely important. Yet, even with accurate descriptions of events, other tests are needed to learn more about the brain, what is causing the events and where the problem is located.

Here you'll find information about diagnosing seizures and epilepsy. Start with the basics at Diagnosis 101: The Basics, then move on to more detailed sections and advanced content. Print this out to read, send it to a friend, and know that epilepsy.com is here to help.

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, MD and Patricia O. Shafer, RN, MN.
Last Reviewed: 11/2/07