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25 - Safety issues for women with epilepsy

from Part VI - Living well with epilepsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2009

By
Patricia Dean
Edited by
Martha J. Morrell  and
Kerry L. Flynn
Patricia Dean
Affiliation:
Maimi Children's Hospital, Department of Neuroscience, 3100 SW 62nd Avenue, Miami FL, USA
Martha J. Morrell
Affiliation:
Columbia University, New York
Kerry L. Flynn
Affiliation:
Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
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Summary

Health-care providers caring for people with epilepsy generally have the same goals. Those goals are to stop seizures, avoid treatment-related side effects, and ensure a good quality of life. Ideally, no one's life would be significantly changed because of epilepsy. People with epilepsy are usually counseled to take advantage of usual life experiences. On the other hand, some precautions may be necessary, depending on the type of seizures and seizure frequency.

In this chapter, Patricia Dean discusses reasonable safety measures for people with epilepsy to consider. Pat is an Epilepsy Nurse Specialist. Her professional life has focused on the care of people with epilepsy and she is currently at the University of Miami. Pat is also on the Board of Directors of the National Epilepsy Foundation and is President of her local Epilepsy Foundation affiliate, Epilepsy Foundation of South Florida. She provides a reasonable and complete discussion of the risks related to seizures and offers suggestions to ensure seizure safety while leading a full and active life.

MJM

A number of published medical studies have examined whether people with epilepsy are at risk for injuries as a result of seizures. Although some studies conclude that there is no higher risk of injury for people with epilepsy than for the general population, other studies suggest that people with seizures are at greater risk (Hauser et al., 1984).

Keywords

epilepsypersonal safetypregnant womensafety measuresworkplace issuesseizure-related injuries
Type
Chapter
Information
Women with Epilepsy
A Handbook of Health and Treatment Issues
 , pp. 263 - 268
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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References

Annegers, J, Grabow, J, Groover, R, Laws, E, Elveback, L, Kurland, L.Seizures after head trauma: a population study. Neurology 1980; 30:683–9Google Scholar
Bachman R, Saltzman L. Violence against women: estimates from the redesigned survey. Department of Justice Estimates, Annapolis Junction, MD, 1995
Buck, D, Baker, G, Jacoby, A, Smith, D, Chadwick, D.Patients' experiences of injury as a result of epilepsy. Epilepsia 1997; 38(4):439–44Google Scholar
Dean, P, Duchowny, M, Harvey, AS.Epileptic head injury by-proxy in maternal juvenile myoclonic epilepsy masquerading as child abuse. Epilepsia 1995; 36(Suppl. 4):100Google Scholar
Hauser, W, Tabaddor, K, Factor, P, Finer, C.Seizures and head injury in an urban community. Neurology 1984; 34:746–51Google Scholar
Osborne Shafer P, Austin D, Callanan M, Clerico C. Safety and activities of daily living for people with epilepsy. In Managing Seizure Disorders, ed. N Santilli. Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, 1996, pp. 1151–9
Pennell, P. Epilepsy and Pregnancy. Epilepsy Foundation of America Annual Meeting, 1997
Safety and Seizures. Epilepsy Foundation of America, Landover, MD, 1996
Safety Tips – Daily Living and Workplace Safety; Safety and Seizures: Tips for Living with Seizure Disorders. Epilepsy Foundation, Landover, MD, 1996
Spitz, M, Towbin, J, Shantz, D, Adler, L.Risk factors for burns as a consequence of seizures in persons with epilepsy. Epilepsia 1994; 35(4):764–7Google Scholar

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