Unfortunately, pharmaceutical treatment doesn t work for everyone and there s a critical need for more research. Epilepsy is rare and there aren t many people who have it. There are more than twice as many people with epilepsy in Canada as the number of people with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis combined. Epilepsy can occur as a single condition, or may accompany other conditions affecting the brain, such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, Alzheimer s disease, and traumatic brain injury. You can t die from epilepsy.
Epilepsy is a very serious medical condition and individuals do die of it.
Epilepsy as a direct cause of death can be divided in different categories. Seizure-related deaths, such as from accidental drowning, auto accidents, etc. You can t tell what a person might do during a seizure. Although the behaviour may be inappropriate for the time and place, it is unlikely to cause harm to anyone and should not be seen as an embarrassment to anyone. In most cases, epilepsy isn t a barrier to physical achievement, although some individuals are more severely affected and may be limited in what they can do.