Previous articles have discussed patients with intractable epilepsy who have benefited from epilepsy surgery to remove or disconnect the area of the brain that propagates their seizures. Another group of people who may benefit from epilepsy surgery is those who have generalized seizures--seizures where there is no clear onset in the brain. These…

In the first installment of this series (Exceptional Parent Magazine, May 2010), the author discussed epilepsy surgery performed in persons whose areas of brain abnormality were initially deemed to be too extensive to safely perform a resection of the involved area. The process leading to surgical remediation for seizures is an involved one, but…

When medicines do not work, the search for seizure control should not stop. Special diets or medical devices may be recommended to help control seizures. While not a cure for epilepsy, they may be able to help, especially for those who are not candidates for surgery or when surgery does not work. This article provides an overview of the devices…

Nearly 1 out of 2 children and teens with seizures may need to take medications throughout their lives. At least 25% will develop a condition called refractory epilepsy--meaning that their seizures do not respond to medical therapy. For these children and teens, non-drug therapies such as brain surgery are available that may offer a chance to…