However, it is very important to realize that most of these children can do very well in development and academic achievement. Even children who have significant seizure disorders during infancy can subsequently have normal development. Therefore, children with TS should be followed carefully throughout their education. If any learning or behavioral issues arise, these should be addressed aggressively so that the impact on the child s neurocognitive development can be minimized. A seizure can be defined as a sudden, involuntary, transient alteration in brain function due to abnormal activity of brain cells.
Seizures are very common.
Up to 10 percent of individuals have at least one seizure at some time in their lives, and one percent have chronic recurrent seizures or epilepsy. The clinical aspects of a seizure depend on the area of the brain involved, and may appear as episodes of staring, twitching of arms or legs, or unusual sensations. A grand mal seizure includes forceful shaking of extremities, unresponsiveness and urinary incontinence. Although some children with seizure disorders and epilepsy also have learning or behavioral difficulties, many children with epilepsy are otherwise normal children. Many of these children will achieve significant academic success, many will be gifted athletically, and every one of them will want to be treated as a typical child.