Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated seizures, also known as fits.

Epilepsy affects more than 500,000 people in the UK. This means almost 1 in 100 people has the condition. Epilepsy usually begins during childhood, although it can start at any age.

If you are a parent and not sure about whether your child has epilepsy, please speak to your health visitor or GP and describe as fully as possible what you have seen, and to keep a log of any incidents of what you have seen and what was happening just before an incident.

If you are a young person and you are experiencing seizures, please speak to your GP and your School Health Nurse.

Epilepsy is usually difficult to diagnose quickly. In most cases, it cannot be confirmed until you have had more than one seizure.
It can be difficult to diagnose because many other conditions, such as migraines and panic attacks, can cause similar symptoms.

If you or your child has had a seizure, you will be referred to a specialist in epilepsy, normally a neurologist (a doctor who specialises in conditions that affect the nervous system). Please visit NHS Choices for more details.

CCHP services may inlcude:

• Health Visitors
• School Health Nurses
• Community Paediatrics