What I learned from a book I got from the library.

Number 1 thing I learned, is to keep a journal and write everything down no matter how insignificant you think it is, and bring it to your doctors appointments at all times. There are 4 types of seizures: Simple Partial seizures, Complex partial seizures, tonic-clonic seizures and absence seizures. Simple partial seizures are events that don't cause a person to lose consciousness. They usually include some kind of repetitive body movement, such as eye fluttering or shaking arm or leg. Complex partial seizures are events that include impairment, but not necessarily loss of consciousness. Tonic-Clonic seizures are events that occur when abherrant electrical activity spreads throughout multiple areas of the brain, affecting a person's physical control as well as mental state. They are also known as generalized seizures, convulsions, or fits. They were once called grand mals. Which is french for meaning very bad. Absence seizures also affect large areas of the brain, but without causing convulsions. It's like the brain switches off temporarily. Someone having this, may simply just sit and stare. He will be unresponsive if spoken to, may drop things, and may make some small, repetitive movements. These were formly known as petit mal. Meaning in french, not so bad. An Aura is a type of simple partial seizure. Auras reported by people may include the following: A sense of deja vu: The feeling of having been somewhere before, when one has not. A sense of jamais vu: the feeling that a familiar place is suddenly strange and unfamiliar. ringing or buzzing in the ears. Hearing other sounds that are not there, ringing from bells to a clamor of human voices. Smelling odors that are not there, including such pungent smells as gasoline, burning rubber, feces, peanuts, bananas, or even the scent of a specific perfume. Feeling disoriented. Feeling larger or smaller than normal, like Alice in Wonderland in her "drink me" phase Experiencing other distortions of perception, like feeling that the room is tilting or spinning. Experiencing sudden dilation of pupils. Feeling lightheaded. Feeling dizzy. Suffering from numbness in part of the body. Experiencing tremors in hands, feet, arms, or legs. Feeling a spreading warmth or chilliness. feeling as though the stomach is rising, heaving, or being pulled upwards in the abdomen. feeling prickly sensations (pins and needles) on the feet or hands. feeling sudden emotions such as dread, fear, anger, rage, happiness, or a euphoria, that come out of the blue and are not related to the situation. seeing patterns of colors. suffering from sudden headaches, stomachaches, or other sorts of unpleasant or unusual physical sensations. If have children, let the teachers and if there are any, school nurses know the condition of your child. If need be, have a 504 plan set up, or an IEP put in place. Try and get in a good relationship with your doctor. Most important, find a doctor who will listen to you. Doctors and patients may not always agree on things. For example, a 5% reduction in cognitive ability may be considered a negligible difference for a patient, but to a doctor this may seem like nothing, until the professional perhaps goes through this themselves and then it would be something tremendous, and perhaps could cause them to have to leave their job. Medication: Always check each time you get your prescription to make sure you have the right amount in your bottle, and make sure it is the right dosage and name of your medications.