INPUT ARTICLE: Article: About 47% of epileptics will eliminate seizures after being prescribed an anti-epileptic drug. After some experimentation to determine which drug works best for the person, that number rises to 70%. In short, medical intervention is generally effective, over time, at stopping seizures. Antiepileptic drug (AED) is usually prescribed once the type of seizure disorder has been established. Patients who have had just a single seizure are usually monitored but are not treated with AEDs. In children, use of AED is not always automatic either. The decision to start AED drug is complex and is influenced by the frequency and type of seizures. Treatment decision should always be make by a pediatric neurologist. Children are rarely treated for a first-time seizure. Substance abuse, particularly alcoholism, is a major cause of epilepsy. More than 5,000 people per year suffer from alcohol induced seizures. These incidents are associated with severe abuse and addiction. If medicine does not work, vagus nerve stimulation can reduce the frequency of seizures by as much as 50% after two years of treatment. In this procedure a pulse generator is surgically implanted in the chest so as to send signals to the brain. You will be given a device to temporarily turn off signals when exercising or doing a public performance. Doctors may prescribe the ketogenic diet to children who are not responding to medication. In this diet, you will severely limit the number of carbohydrates you consume. Instead you will derive your energy from consuming large amounts of fat. While the procedure has been shown to be effective, the diet would be hard for an adult to maintain. It is common to feel annoyed or elated for hours prior to a major seizure. With experience you might be able to recognize an "aura" before the onset of a seizure. When you feel the symptoms, sit down so that you do not hurt yourself by falling. In some cases, you can stop the seizure by responding to your symptoms. If you inexplicably detect a strong odor or taste, this may be a sign of an oncoming seizure. These seizures can sometimes be fought off by sniffing a strong odor, like garlic. The sudden onset of depression, irritability, or headache can also be the sign of an impending seizure. In this case, contact your doctor immediately and ask if you can take an extra dose of medication to stave off the seizure. Uncontrollable twitching is a strong indication of an impending seizure. When this happens, squeeze the muscles around the twitching to try to contain it. This will sometimes prevent the seizure. Certain lifestyle changes are important to either eliminating seizures or minimizing their effects. You should refrain from alcohol and other recreational substances. Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Consume Vitamin D and exercise to minimize the risk of bone fracture during seizures. Decrease and manage stress. In some cases you might also want to wear a protective helmet to prevent head injuries. You can try to limit stress, often a precipitating factor for seizures, by employing yoga or meditation. Minimize factors in your life that cause stress. Flashing lights can cause seizures. Limit exposure to video games, big screen action flicks, and holiday lights.

SUMMARY: Visit a doctor for medication. Take your medications as directed. Refrain from substance abuse. Visit a doctor for vagus nerve stimulation. Begin the ketogenic diet. Brace yourself for oncoming seizures. Maintain a healthy lifestyle.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Going above and beyond is about more than just doing what's necessary to get a story. You need to be more than just a good writer in today's journalism market. When you write a story, don't stop at the minimum to get the job done. Think about what you'd want out of the article if you were a reader, and try to give them that. Make yourself more marketable by expanding your technical skills. Knowing how to use more programs, do basic coding, and use creative software will help you get your voice out there and will make you more marketable. If possible, beat your deadlines. While you don't want to rush your work, you do want to provide your publisher with a speedy product so that your article will be timely. You may have to give up your free time or miss out on fun events with friends in order to meet your journalism goals. Writing is usually a solitary activity, so it may be a sacrifice for you to miss out on that social time. You may also need to sacrifice earning potential or social connections if you write about polarizing issues. When you're faced with sacrifices, ask yourself what's more important to you. Ask, "Where do I want to be in five years? How will this sacrifice impact my five-year goal?" Journalists get information from a variety of sources, so you'll need to know how to gather, assess, and organize information on your own. Research consists of more than just doing a Google search. You need to be able to find the information you need in print sources, by talking to knowledgeable individuals, and by sorting through relevant materials, such as letters, memos, or file documents. Being able to understand various topics, sniff out stories, and look at things from various perspectives are all necessary to be a good journalist. Consider getting a degree in something other than journalism to make you a more informed writer. If you want to cover world events, consider studying languages. Read or watch the news, and stay plugged in to politics, current events, and pop culture. Anything can be relevant from a journalistic standpoint, so keep yourself open and learn the current trends. You'll produce better stories and get your readers what they want if you know what's going on. Before reporting information that you find, make sure that it's from a reliable source. When possible, try to find a second source that confirms the information. If you receive facts from a source, independently verify that those facts line up. For example, if someone tells you that they knew the subject of your story when they were in college, make sure they were really in college together. While you will likely build relationships with some of your sources or the people you write about, make sure those relationships don't influence how you portray them in your work. For example, if your best friend works as a police officer, then getting your crime information from them will likely be biased toward your friend's opinion. For example, don't take payments from a source or a subject of an article. If you are writing an investigative article about a corporation, you'll lose your independence if you allow them to hire you for freelance work during your investigation. If you have someone who gives you inside information about the local crime beat, keep a professional relationship with that person. If you start to get too personal, then you may unknowingly have a bias toward them. If you get too close to a source, you can always ask them to help you find a new one so that your information stays independent.

SUMMARY:
Go above and beyond what's required. Make sacrifices. Conduct your own research. Expand your knowledge base. Stay up-to-date on news and events. Verify your sources. Maintain independence from your sources and subjects.