Many people in the United States are donning purple ribbons during the month of November in support of research, awareness, and a cure for a disorder that affects over 2.5 million Americans and over 40 million people worldwide.
Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder of childhood and a common affliction in adults.
Epilepsy is comprised of over 20 different types of seizures and a variety of syndromes. This type of seizure is the kind that is most visible and is often referred to by the general public when they think of epilepsy. During a tonic-clonic seizure, a person will become rigid in the tonic phase and convulse rhythmically in the clonic phase, and there is a loss of consciousness. Other types of seizures may be barely noticeable or not visible at all and can be mistaken for violent or odd behavior. They can be mistaken for learning disabilities or laziness in school during childhood.