Epilepsy is not one disease; it is the umbrella term used to describe a group of chronic neurological disorders which cause abnormal activity in those afflicted. The result of this errant activity is a seizure.
There are approximately 50 million people afflicted with the condition worldwide; actor Greg Grunberg’s son is one of the three million Americans who has it.
“[Epilepsy] is an electronic impulse in the brain what is the big deal. It’s not contagious it should be talked about and open; and given research money,” Grunberg said while on a break from shooting NBC’s hit Heroes, where he plays Matt Parkman, “People shouldn’t be afraid of epilepsy.”
And because the articulate and passionate actor wanted more people to talk about the big “it” (epilepsy) in his life he cre
ated Talk About It, an organization whose goal is to provide information about and links to organizations dealing with epilepsy. The charity’s website, www.talkaboutit.org, is a highly produced and informative site featuring familiar faces demystifying epilepsy.
Thanks to doctors who Grunberg refers to as “the best doctors in the world” his 13 year old son is thriving, “he is a normal school kid. Everyone around him knows that he may have a seizure but [his epilepsy] doesn’t define him. When you’re open enough to talk about it with everyone it’s not so scary. Teachers remove that stigma by talking about it,” Grunberg said.
And there is a lot to talk about and link to with regard to seizures. For example, what do you do if you’re with someone and they seize.
First of all, you should not worry that they will choke on their own tongue, this is an old wife’s tale; do not put something in their mouth. Let the person seize but remember to also:
1. make sure that they are comfortable and safe,
2. make sure that their head is protected,
3. turn them on their side (While not every seizure forces its sufferer to vomit, turning the person on their side is a precaution against them choking should any come body fluids come up)
4. stay with them.
Most seizures last less than a couple of minutes (if the person continues to seize for longer, call the paramedics). When the seizure is over, the person will likely be disoriented, they may even be angry or weepy (we’re talking about electrical activity in the brain after all) but they will be okay and so will you if you just talk about it.
To talk, learn, watch or listen about epilepsy, check out www.talkaboutit.org
