Epilepsy Awareness Month: Share Your Purple Power in 2024

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month (NEAM). Sharing your story and supporting others are powerful ways to advocate for awareness, better treatments, and, eventually, a cure.

The theme for 2024 is “Share Your Purple Power,” and it promotes four key tenets of boosting awareness for the epilepsy community: Belonging, strength, change, and impact.

With more voices, we can bring hope to those facing the disease. Learn about other ways to show your support of the epilepsy community now.

November Is Epilepsy Awareness Month

Congress formally recognized National Epilepsy Awareness Month in 2003, with the Epilepsy Foundation leading efforts to raise awareness of this incurable disease.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes seizures. This disorder can affect people very differently. The severity and frequency of a person’s seizures generally determine the overall impact on their life.

Common causes of epilepsy include strokes, brain tumors, infections, and traumatic brain injuries. Additionally, several types of birth injuries are linked with seizures.

Genetics also plays a significant role in causing epilepsy. People with parents or grandparents who had epilepsy are significantly more likely to develop the disease.

Since the causes of epilepsy are often unknown, the condition can be difficult to treat. Therefore, living with epilepsy can be challenging for patients.

Quick Facts About Epilepsy

• 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy during their lifetime
• 3.4 million Americans have epilepsy
• 470,000 children in the United States have epilepsy
• 150,000 people are diagnosed per year
• An epilepsy diagnosis is usually made when a person has had 2 or more seizures
• Seizures can look very different, ranging from staring spells to collapsing
• Seizures range in duration from a few seconds to a few minutes

The Importance of Epilepsy Awareness

Doing your part to increase awareness helps bring hope to people living with epilepsy. It also helps to spread the word about the serious condition, which can ultimately improve diagnosing and treating it.

National Epilepsy Awareness Month is also a great opportunity to educate yourself and others about the condition to benefit the epilepsy community as a whole.

For some, epilepsy coexists with other medical conditions. For example, about 42% of children with cerebral palsy (CP) also had epilepsy, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Epilepsy and Cerebral Palsy

Epilepsy is often associated with CP since both can result from brain trauma. Birth injuries that cause brain trauma can lead to abnormal brain activity, making seizures more likely.

Children with hemiplegia and quadriplegia are at the highest risk for co-occurring cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Treatments include medication, surgery, special diets, assistive devices, and electrical devices to manage symptoms.

The causes of cerebral palsy are similar to some causes of epilepsy. A baby may suffer injuries, like birth trauma or lack of oxygen, that lead to one or both conditions.

During National Epilepsy Awareness Month, families of cerebral palsy patients who also have epilepsy are encouraged to share their stories. Showing solidarity with the larger epilepsy community is a powerful way to strengthen both groups.

How Is Epilepsy Associated With Birth Injuries?

One of the potential causes of epilepsy is birth injuries.

The following birth injuries can potentially lead to epilepsy:

• Head trauma: An impact to the head, compressive injuries, and trauma-induced strokes can cause brain injury, increasing the risk of epilepsy.
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): This form of brain damage is caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow during delivery. This damage can disrupt normal brain function, increasing the risk of seizures.
• Kernicterus: This condition results from untreated severe jaundice, which can cause damage that can affect areas of the brain associated with seizure control, increasing the risk of epilepsy.

Part of Epilepsy Awareness Month 2024 includes understanding the role birth injuries play in developing epilepsy.

How to Prepare for Seizures

While a lack of control over mobility is a symptom of cerebral palsy, seizures are the primary symptom associated with epilepsy.

If your loved one has epilepsy or if you want to be prepared for a seizure in general, you can learn first aid tips to assist with an epileptic seizure emergency.

Here are some important do’s and don'ts when someone has a seizure:

DO:

• Stay calm — most seizures last only a few minutes.
• Stay with the person and place something soft under their head.
• Turn them on their side to keep airways clear.
• Keep onlookers calm and at a distance.
• Look for emergency information, like a medical bracelet.
• After the seizure, help them to a safe place and calmly explain what happened.
• Check if they know their name and offer to contact a loved one or arrange transport.
• Call 911 if the seizure lasts over 5 minutes, if they’re pregnant, or if they have multiple seizures.

DON’T:

• Don’t hold the person down.
• Don’t try to stop their movements.
• Don’t put anything in their mouth — they cannot swallow their tongue.
• Don’t attempt mouth-to-mouth — they will usually start breathing again on their own.
• Don’t try to give them food or water until they are fully alert.

Since about 1 in 10 people will have a seizure in their lifetime, you may need to help someone someday. Seizure preparedness and basic first aid can provide vital support during these challenging moments.

Showing Your Support During Epilepsy Awareness Month

Help the epilepsy community during National Epilepsy Awareness Month and beyond. Sharing your personal story is a very impactful way to help.

“The focus of this campaign is to break the silence surrounding epilepsy and bring awareness so that people with epilepsy feel safer in their communities.”

— Laura Thrall, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation

For those who truly want to make Epilepsy Awareness Month 2024 special, consider attending one of the many events that promote epilepsy awareness in November.

For example, Epilepsy Awareness Day at Disneyland Resort is an event that takes place from November 18–19, 2024, and on November 20, 2024. It includes medical experts on-site, educational seminars, and a trip to Disneyland.

Here are some other ways you can show your support:

• Advocate by reaching out to local or national government officials
• Donate or raise funds for epilepsy research
• Follow the Epilepsy Foundation on social media
• Register for an epilepsy walk in your community
• Share your story on social media using the 2024 hashtags in your posts: #NEAM2024 and #ShareYourPurplePower

The importance of raising epilepsy awareness can not be stressed enough. Even small efforts make a big difference for those affected and their families.

Spreading Awareness of Epilepsy and Birth Injuries

However you choose to participate in Epilepsy Awareness Month, your efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding this neurological disease are greatly appreciated.

Our efforts in November can make a difference in the lives of the people who live with epilepsy and their caregivers throughout the country.

If you have questions related to birth injuries your child may have sustained during delivery, contact Cerebral Palsy Guide to learn more.

Written by:Cerebral Palsy Guide

Cerebral Palsy Guide was founded upon the goal of educating families about cerebral palsy, raising awareness, and providing support for children, parents, and caregivers affected by the condition. Our easy-to-use website offers simple, straightforward information that provides families with medical and legal solutions. We are devoted to helping parents and children access the tools they need to live a life full of happiness