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Will 3D Television or Movies Trigger Seizures?

Wed, 03/03/2010 - 22:39
There is much hype and concern about the effect of 3D viewing being a trigger to epileptic seizures - the concerns and the myths need to be dispelled.

 
This is the most controversial subject amongst the epilepsy community globally at present.
What are the chances of an epileptic sufferer during or after watching 3D Television or a 3D Movie suffering a seizure actually caused by 3D viewing?
I for one think that this article I came across offers some valuable insights on this very important subject.
This article is not only for epileptics but also for the wider community to hopefully create awareness.
To read the article go to http://www.3dtelevisionchoices.com  and then to "articles" - article title is "3d and epilepsy".
I look forward to your own thoughts and comments.
cheers, Mike O'Shannessy

Comments

Re: Will 3D Television or Movies Trigger Seizures?

Submitted by shags38 on Thu, 2010-03-04 - 02:34

Spike, a standard EEG will determine photosensitivity or not.

 

cheers, Mike

Spike, a standard EEG will determine photosensitivity or not.

 

cheers, Mike

Re: Will 3D Television or Movies Trigger Seizures?

Submitted by Spike. on Thu, 2010-03-04 - 12:33
Mike, after reading over the article on that website, I’m now wondering if you’re the author of that article. No matter if you are, or are not, there is one thing I found wrong in the part “About the author”. Complex Partial Seizure did not have the formerly known name of “Grand Mal”. It’s the Generalized Tonic Clonic Seizure, which had the formerly known name of “grand mal”. * http://www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/seizure_tonicclonic

The author mentions being “the father of a 23-year old daughter who was diagnosed with Complex Partial Seizures Epilepsy......at the age of 6 months (initially misdiagnosed as febrile seizures)”. What are febrile seizures? Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children. * http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/febrile_seizures/detail_febrile_seizures.htm They do not experience a seizure in the absence of fever. The seizure is described as either a generalized clonic or a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. * http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1176205-overview  People can experience different types of seizures throughout their lifetime. I don’t know the details about the father’s 23-year old daughter, so I will not rule out 100% the daughter may have experienced a febrile seizure at the age of 6 months, and then experiencing complex partial seizures at some point later on.

Bruce. *I'm not a doctor, but the information I share is what I've either learned and or experienced due to having epilepsy myself. http://communityforums.epilepsysupportgroup.com

The author mentions being “the father of a 23-year old daughter who was diagnosed with Complex Partial Seizures Epilepsy......at the age of 6 months (initially misdiagnosed as febrile seizures)”. What are febrile seizures? Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children. * http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/febrile_seizures/detail_febrile_seizures.htm They do not experience a seizure in the absence of fever. The seizure is described as either a generalized clonic or a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. * http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1176205-overview  People can experience different types of seizures throughout their lifetime. I don’t know the details about the father’s 23-year old daughter, so I will not rule out 100% the daughter may have experienced a febrile seizure at the age of 6 months, and then experiencing complex partial seizures at some point later on.

Bruce. *I'm not a doctor, but the information I share is what I've either learned and or experienced due to having epilepsy myself. http://communityforums.epilepsysupportgroup.com

Re: Will 3D Television or Movies Trigger Seizures?

Submitted by shags38 on Fri, 2010-03-05 - 22:39

Spike,

 thanks for your comments - it is good to see that the subject has created some interest.

Just a couple of comments - firstly maybe you might do a little "broader"research before making certain statements.

  1. many years ago Epilepsy was classified in two groups, Grand Mal (sometimes called Gran Mal) and Petit Mal, both names derived from the French language with Grand Mal meaning "large sickness"and Petit Mal meaning "small sickness". Tonic-clonic epilepsy was certainly in the Grand Mal category however also were other "less defined"serious types of epilepsy.
  2. The categorizations of Epliepsy gradually changed as medical science began to learn more about it. In 1981 Complex Partial Seizures were defined the International League Alliance on Epilepsy (ILAE).
  3. the following is one definition of the types of seizures that can be involved in the term Complex Partial Seizures - note that this is an extract from only one source.

Quote "Seizure semiology: Predominant symptoms occurring during a seizure event determine seizure type. These can be assessed from direct observation or using video recordings, but this is relatively rare since most patients with epilepsy never have video recordings. Thus, in most situations, seizure semiology is based on history alone. For this reason, a purely semiologic classification has been proposed and is in use at some centers (see list below).1 Complex partial seizures of the ILAE classification can be equivalent to various categories of the semiologic classification.

  • Autonomic
  • Dialeptic
  • Simple Motor
    • Clonic
    • Tonic
    • Tonic-clonic
    • Epileptic spasm
    • Myoclonic
    • Versive
  • Complex Motor
    • Automotor
    • Hypermotor
    • Gelastic
  • Negative
    • Aphasic
    • Astatic
    • Atonic
    • Akinetic
    • Hypomotor
    • Negative myoclonic

As you will note, tonic-clonic seizures are in the list.

Hence I would suggest that what is now classified as Complex Partail Seizures, not determined as such back in the old days would have fallen under "Grand Mal"and not "Petit Mal"

      4. In respect to Febrile seizures and the diagnosis / mis-diagnosis of the same. Febrile seizures are instigated by an elevated temperature, no arguement. Epileptic seizures in adults can be triggered by elevated temperatures, both body and ambient. Hence it is folly to assume that an infant with an elevated temperature is suffering fibrile convulsions WITHOUT doing due diligence and ordering an EEG. It falls into the bounds of ASSUMPTION, a big no-no in medical circles, an easy answer rather than investigating. The fact is that uncontrolled febrile seizures can "possibly" induce epilepsy. The old "chicken and the egg" comes into play - did the child have epilepsy undiagnosed prior to having an elevated temperature which increased the rate or severity of epileptic seizures? With an infant of 6 months of age how does a parent notice a seizure which could be quite subtle?

And last but not least, yes I wrote the article. Here is some fact. On a Satyrday afternoon I noticed my 6 month old daughter having what I thought was an epileptic seizure. Why did I think that? - because I once had epilepsy (petit mal) as a youngster - I thought I recognised certain traits. Being a Satyrday our local doctors office was closed so I took her to a 24 hour clinic. I made a point of saying to the doctor that I suspected an epileptic seizure, telling him of my experience with being an epilepsy sufferer.

The doctor treated me like a second grade citizen, he was the one who had been to Med school and got his degree, what would I know. So he "quickly" (in 24hr clinics the turnover of patients means more dollars) diagnosed her condition as Febrile convultions (yes she had an elevated temperature). The doctor was not willing to even consider the possibility of epilepsy.

The seizures continued - I took my daugther to the emergency section at a local hospital on Sunday - she was admitted and put under the care of a pediatric specialist and neurologist - she had over 100 seizures that day registered on an EEG hooked up to her - small seizures - each seizure in itself was not concerning, the continual frequency of convulsions was of great concern.

Ok, enough for now. The mis-diagnosis of epilepsy is a major concern, especially in infants / young children - my daughters brain could have been fried if I took the initial doctors advice and waited a few days for the "fever" to subside.

And for your benefit - no, Febrile seizures did not bring about her epilepsy, but that is another story.

Please accept that I am not trying to berate you or your comments, like I said maybe take a deep breath before reacting / responding.

cheers, Mike 

 

Spike,

 thanks for your comments - it is good to see that the subject has created some interest.

Just a couple of comments - firstly maybe you might do a little "broader"research before making certain statements.

  1. many years ago Epilepsy was classified in two groups, Grand Mal (sometimes called Gran Mal) and Petit Mal, both names derived from the French language with Grand Mal meaning "large sickness"and Petit Mal meaning "small sickness". Tonic-clonic epilepsy was certainly in the Grand Mal category however also were other "less defined"serious types of epilepsy.
  2. The categorizations of Epliepsy gradually changed as medical science began to learn more about it. In 1981 Complex Partial Seizures were defined the International League Alliance on Epilepsy (ILAE).
  3. the following is one definition of the types of seizures that can be involved in the term Complex Partial Seizures - note that this is an extract from only one source.

Quote "Seizure semiology: Predominant symptoms occurring during a seizure event determine seizure type. These can be assessed from direct observation or using video recordings, but this is relatively rare since most patients with epilepsy never have video recordings. Thus, in most situations, seizure semiology is based on history alone. For this reason, a purely semiologic classification has been proposed and is in use at some centers (see list below).1 Complex partial seizures of the ILAE classification can be equivalent to various categories of the semiologic classification.

  • Autonomic
  • Dialeptic
  • Simple Motor
    • Clonic
    • Tonic
    • Tonic-clonic
    • Epileptic spasm
    • Myoclonic
    • Versive
  • Complex Motor
    • Automotor
    • Hypermotor
    • Gelastic
  • Negative
    • Aphasic
    • Astatic
    • Atonic
    • Akinetic
    • Hypomotor
    • Negative myoclonic

As you will note, tonic-clonic seizures are in the list.

Hence I would suggest that what is now classified as Complex Partail Seizures, not determined as such back in the old days would have fallen under "Grand Mal"and not "Petit Mal"

      4. In respect to Febrile seizures and the diagnosis / mis-diagnosis of the same. Febrile seizures are instigated by an elevated temperature, no arguement. Epileptic seizures in adults can be triggered by elevated temperatures, both body and ambient. Hence it is folly to assume that an infant with an elevated temperature is suffering fibrile convulsions WITHOUT doing due diligence and ordering an EEG. It falls into the bounds of ASSUMPTION, a big no-no in medical circles, an easy answer rather than investigating. The fact is that uncontrolled febrile seizures can "possibly" induce epilepsy. The old "chicken and the egg" comes into play - did the child have epilepsy undiagnosed prior to having an elevated temperature which increased the rate or severity of epileptic seizures? With an infant of 6 months of age how does a parent notice a seizure which could be quite subtle?

And last but not least, yes I wrote the article. Here is some fact. On a Satyrday afternoon I noticed my 6 month old daughter having what I thought was an epileptic seizure. Why did I think that? - because I once had epilepsy (petit mal) as a youngster - I thought I recognised certain traits. Being a Satyrday our local doctors office was closed so I took her to a 24 hour clinic. I made a point of saying to the doctor that I suspected an epileptic seizure, telling him of my experience with being an epilepsy sufferer.

The doctor treated me like a second grade citizen, he was the one who had been to Med school and got his degree, what would I know. So he "quickly" (in 24hr clinics the turnover of patients means more dollars) diagnosed her condition as Febrile convultions (yes she had an elevated temperature). The doctor was not willing to even consider the possibility of epilepsy.

The seizures continued - I took my daugther to the emergency section at a local hospital on Sunday - she was admitted and put under the care of a pediatric specialist and neurologist - she had over 100 seizures that day registered on an EEG hooked up to her - small seizures - each seizure in itself was not concerning, the continual frequency of convulsions was of great concern.

Ok, enough for now. The mis-diagnosis of epilepsy is a major concern, especially in infants / young children - my daughters brain could have been fried if I took the initial doctors advice and waited a few days for the "fever" to subside.

And for your benefit - no, Febrile seizures did not bring about her epilepsy, but that is another story.

Please accept that I am not trying to berate you or your comments, like I said maybe take a deep breath before reacting / responding.

cheers, Mike 

 

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