Recreational Therapy: An IntroductionChapter 8: Seizure disorders

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Seizure

The term seizure refers to an involuntary spasm or contraction of muscles.

Epilepsy

Seizures are a symptom of epilepsy and epilepsy is defined as having at least two seizures. In epilepsy, the brain has an underlying tendency to produce sudden bursts of electrical energy that disrupt other brain functions. Epilepsy is an underlying condition that affects the delicate systems that govern how electrical energy behaves in the brain, making it susceptible to recurring seizures.

Prevalence of epilepsy

Prevalence estimates for epilepsy consistently have ranged from 0.5% to 1.5% of the general population.

The most recent estimate stands at 2.2 million individuals in the U.S. with epilepsy.

More than 45,000 children are diagnosed with epilepsy every year.

The total number of individuals in the U.S. with seizure disorders (from epilepsy and other neurological conditions such as stroke) is estimated to be 3.9 million.

Idiopathic cause

In 50% of all cases, the cause of epilepsy is idiopathic or “unknown.”

Old, outdated classification system for epilepsy

grand mal

petit mal

Jacksonian

jackknife

psychomotor seizures

Epilepsy and psychopathology

In addition to the direct consequences of suffering from a seizure disorder, individuals with epilepsy are commonly considered to be at high risk of psychological and psychiatric problems.

Although the majority of persons with epilepsy do not suffer from psychiatric disturbances, 20% to 30% are estimated to have psychiatric disturbances.

Autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy

As many as one-third of individuals with autism spectrum disorder also have epilepsy.

Purposes of RT

RTs who work with clients with seizures disorders typically are focusing on a secondary diagnosis (e.g., developmental disability such as autism, psychiatric, or physical disability), the psychopathology associated with epilepsy (e.g., learned helplessness, anger, depression), or specific needs related to lifestyle modifications and restricted leisure activity choices.

When working with clients with epilepsy RTs need to:

Remain aware of certain activity limitations that may apply to clients.

Be aware of medication side effects.

Know appropriate procedures for handling seizures that may occur during activities.