Mental health articles

antiepileptic medications side effects Anti-epileptic medication can lead to drowsiness and poor concentration. Newer types of medication are less likely to do this. Below are the more commonly used types of anti-epileptic medication and their more common side effects described in alphabetical order. This is not an exhaustive list but should help you gain some […]

Doctors can find it difficult to diagnose epilepsy as there is not one particular test to use and many other things could be the cause of the symptoms. Also, when someone is not having a seizure his or her brain cells may behave as normal. The person might not be conscious during the seizure so […]

Can epilepsy impair cognitive functioning? Cognitive functioning is the mental processes of knowing, thinking and learning. People who have intellectual disabilities have problems in these three areas usually due to the underlying brain damage rather than the epilepsy itself. If the seizures are well controlled and the medication regime is kept simple further difficulties with […]

How common is epilepsy? The frequency of epilepsy occurring in people with intellectual disabilities is higher than in the rest of the population. About 30 per cent of people with intellectual disabilities also have epilepsy. The more severe the intellectual disability the more likely it is that the person will also have epilepsy.At least 50 […]

What is epilepsy? If someone has epilepsy this means that they have repeated seizures. Seizures are caused by a temporary change in the way someone’s brain cells work. During a seizure someone might ‘black out’ or have unusual feelings, thoughts or movements. It usually only lasts for a matter of seconds or minutes, but in […]