The Safety Net

Seizure Management Resources

Introduction
Consumers who experience seizures are at increased risk of injuries and other special incidents. People whose seizures are not completely controlled by medication may fall or strike objects or surfaces that can cause lacerations, fractures or other trauma.

Seizures that occur in bathrooms or kitchens present unique hazards, including the possibility of drowning or serious burns. Side effects from some seizure medications may cause dizziness or instability. Seizure management is critical in order to mitigate risk to consumers.

For a comprehensive overview of seizure management and epilepsy, go to the Research and Current Trends section of this web site. The article from the National Institute of Health’s Institute for Neurological Disorders contains valuable information that is current and detailed regarding new medications, procedures and surgery. The link is:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/seizures_and_epilepsy_htr.htm

Below are additional sources of information for learning more about seizure management. These sites contain information on the fundamentals of seizure management and also contain detailed articles about complex medical treatments that are written for a wide range of readers.

The Epilepsy Foundation
4351 Garden City Drive
Landover, MD 20785-7223
1-800-332-1000
www.efa.org

The Epilepsy Foundation is a great source for both basic and more detailed information about seizure disorders. You may download materials for training or other educational purposes. Several documents on this site are written in Spanish.

There are chapters of the Epilepsy Foundation in California in Oakland, Los Angeles and San Diego. A web site produced by the Oakland chapter is available at www.epilepsynorcal.com and by the San Diego chapter at www.epilepsysandiego.org. The Epilepsy Foundation of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties can be reached at 1-800-564-0445.

Health Information (web only)
http://ddhealthinfo.org

The Health and Wellness Section of the Department of Developmental Services sponsors this web site that contains a great deal of information. Articles focus on health issues specifically for and about persons with developmental disabilities. The article entitled “Epilepsy” provides detailed definitions and helps the non-medical reader understand seizures and the management of seizure disorders.

Epilepsy and Behavior
www.sciencedirect.com
Some articles from the journal entitled Epilepsy and Behavior are available at this site without cost. Other articles and journals may require a fee to access. This journal published an issue (Volume 3, Number 6, December, 2002) that is devoted to research relating to individuals with developmental disabilities.

www.4woman.gov
This Health and Human Services site will direct you to articles about women and disabilities and women and epilepsy. This site also links to other sites about epilepsy issues as they specifically affect women, including hormone-related concerns and pregnancy.