Press Conference Held on World Epilepsy Day to Raise Understanding of Epilepsy Patients

Turkey's Association for Fighting Epilepsy shared important information about the disease at a press conference held in Istanbul on 26 March, World Epilepsy Day. At the conference, outputs from the "Epilepsy Patient and Family Member Insight Survey" were presented, as well as information about the "Rights of Individuals Living with Epilepsy: 100 Questions" handbook, prepared for the first time in Turkey to provide guidance on legal issues encountered by patients in their work and social lives. Turkey's Association for Fighting Epilepsy Chairman Prof. Dr. S. Naz Yeni, noting that there are approximately 700,000 epilepsy patients in Turkey, stated: "Our 'Epilepsy Patient and Family Member Insight Survey,' conducted to raise awareness and create consciousness about epilepsy in society, clearly showed us the needs of patients and what they require to sustain their lives. This study enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of patients' thoughts, inclinations, feelings and habits. We know that acceptance of the disease by family and society, and having correct information about the disease, are of great importance. The lack of sufficient public awareness about epilepsy and the failure to provide these individuals with living space in school, work life and social life is a more serious problem than the disease itself," he said.

At the press conference held as part of 26 March World Epilepsy Day, the outputs of the "Epilepsy Patient and Family Member Insight Survey," the most in-depth patient survey conducted on epilepsy patients to date, were announced.

The conference, at which information was shared to raise public awareness, was attended by Turkey's Association for Fighting Epilepsy Chairman Prof. Dr. S. Naz Yeni, Turkey's Association for Fighting Epilepsy Vice Chairman Prof. Dr. Nerses Bebek, Turkey's Pediatric Neurology Association Chairman Prof. Dr. Kürşad Aydın, Abdi İbrahim General Manager Dr. Oğuz Mülazımoğlu, Attorney Çağrı Şükrü Uluslu and Panacea Research Company Founding Partner Zeynep Tuğsuz. Speaking at the conference held with the support of Abdi İbrahim, Turkey's Association for Fighting Epilepsy Chairman Prof. Dr. S. Naz Yeni stated that epilepsy is a short-term functional disorder resulting from uncontrolled electrical discharges in the brain, and noted that the disease affects approximately 50 million people worldwide and approximately 700,000 people in Turkey. Prof. Dr. Yeni said, "Our priority is for society to learn about what epilepsy is through correct information, not through misconceptions, and to prevent incorrect interventions. Patients must be accepted within society and be accepted with the same feelings and conditions as other chronic patients, or even healthy individuals. Individuals with epilepsy who participate in active life, receive education or are employed can set a good example in achieving acceptance of the disease by saying in society 'I am here too, I am an epilepsy patient and I succeeded despite epilepsy,' and play a role in breaking the negative perception that excludes patients from society. We wish to emphasize once again today that physicians and other healthcare workers must, while taking into account the sensitivities and social difficulties of epilepsy patients, embrace both patients and their families by connecting them with scientific facts and provide more detailed awareness about the disease," he said. Turkey's Association for Fighting Epilepsy Vice Chairman Prof. Dr. Nerses Bebek stated: "Epilepsy is a treatable disease. The medications used, just as in hypertension patients, have seizure-suppressing rather than curative effects. After the type of seizure is determined, regular and planned use of the medication or medications prescribed by the physician is of great importance. Mistakes made during seizures lead to physical injuries, while mistakes made in the social aspect of epilepsy lead to psychological injuries."

Fever is the most common cause of seizures in children

Turkey's Pediatric Neurology Association Chairman Prof. Dr. Kürşad Aydın, noting that epilepsy occurs in approximately 1 out of every 100 children, stated that fever is the most common cause of seizures in children. Beyond this, Aydın explained that head trauma, low blood sugar due to medications and poisonings, low levels of substances such as sodium and calcium in the blood, cysts, tumors, bleeding, infections in the brain and developmental defects of the brain can also cause seizures, and stated: "Approximately 60 percent of seizures are related to genetic predisposition. Epilepsy, also called 'sara' among the public and often thought to have no cure, can be treated with great success in children. Febrile seizures are more common and occur in 2-5 percent of children. Throughout life, 5 percent of people are at risk of experiencing at least one seizure." Pointing out that prolonged fasting, stress, sleep deprivation, alcohol, and beverages such as coffee and cola facilitate seizures in children with epilepsy predisposition, Aydın drew attention to the fact that devices emitting bright light, such as computers and televisions, can cause seizures, especially in children with light-sensitive epilepsy.