Video Editor: Prajjwal Kumar

This year, 14 February is not only the day of love, but also International Epilepsy Day.

Epilepsy is a non-communicable disease of the brain that causes a person to have seizures. It can be caused due to many reasons, and can be debilitating.

But the good news is that, according to the World Health Organisation, 70 percent of the people with epilepsy can live a seizure free life if diagnosed and treated properly, on time.

Prof Vinay Goyal, Director, Neurology, Institute of Neurosciences, Medanta Hospital, gives us the run down on epilepsy, what causes it, and how it can be managed.

Dr Goyal: A single seizure does not mean it is epilepsy. Epilepsy means when you have two or more unprovoked seizures. then you call it epilepsy.

One person had one seizure and after a few days again had another seizure and there is no precipitant, then we call it epilepsy.

So, all the seizures are not epilepsy. I'll give you another example—sometimes there is low sodium in the body and that causes seizures. We don't call it epilepsy.

We call it a situation related seizure.

Dr Goyal: If we look at the common causes in children, we have to divide them (by age).

In newborns and within the first year the common cause is electrolyte imbalance, fever, infections. these are common causes which are usually not inherited.

After that, there are some syndromes that are inherited. This is a very small percentage of children

Dr Goyal: A Common cause is Neurocysticercosis, which is an acquired infection of the brain.

There is a small insect (parasites) that comes from what you eat, especially raw vegetables. It goes in your stomach, and when it reaches the brain it causes seizures.

This is called Neurocysticercosis. This is a very common thing in children.

Again, they are non-inherited. Inherited types include Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and some epileptic syndromes which are very uncommon.

Dr Goyal: No age is practically spared. Children and the elderly (above 55 or 60 years) have a higher chance of having seizures.

Dr Goyal: If I talk about small children like one year, or two years olds, sometimes, very subtle symptoms can be signs of seizures.

• Child may be irritable

• Child is not feeling well

• Child is not thriving well

• Child is vomiting

• Child is looking abnormally to one side

• Child is not giving attention

These are very subtle things that could be seizures that parents may not be aware of it.

For children who are two or three years of age, I would say, if you find anything new which is not something you usually see in children, then you should talk to your doctor and explain what is happening.

Whenever you see something like this, please video record that event.

Because the event which you will go and explain to your doctor will be a different understanding than if you show the same video to the doctor.

Ensure the child is safe. If you show this video to any of your treating doctors.

It will help him a great deal in deciding, first, if it's epilepsy or not. If it is epilepsy, then what kind of epilepsy.

Dr Goyal: Don't put anything in the mouth.

Do not put your finger. If there are two seizures, the child will bite your finger and it will cause serious injury.

Don't put any hard objects in the mouth, because they may break their teeth.

Don't give them water because likely it will go into the lungs and cause serious pneumonia.

Ensure the person is breathing normally. Breathing is good enough.

Whether he's breathing slowly or rapidly, it's okay. If required, you can hold their hands and legs and turn them by ninety degrees.

When you turn them ninety degrees, the saliva from the mouth will drool outside which is good enough.

Most seizures last 2 minutes, and within two minutes, the child will stop throwing the abnormal movements

Withing two to five minutes, the child will gain consciousness.

Dr Goyal: Practically, every epilepsy is treatable. 70 percent of epilepsy can be treated with just one or two drugs. Another 10 to 15 percent of epilepsy can be treated with more drugs. And some of them may require surgery.

The lifestyle modifications include,

• Do not drive

• If you are on medication, no Swimming, or adventurous sports.

• Eat on time

• Sleep on time

Sleep is a very important factor for the prevention of seizures, especially if you're on medication it becomes even more paramount.

If you're not on medication and in the past you had epilepsy, your sleep you have to always take care of.

Say you have to attend a party at night then sleep for two hours in the evening so that you'll cover that time. Your sleep will be better and you'll likely be safe.