Epilepsy is the tendency to have recurrent epileptic seizures.

Epilepsy is not a single condition but includes multiple seizure types, etiologies and outcomes.

Not all children will have a major seizure (generalised tonic-clonic) that most people understand as a seizure or a fit.

There are a wide variety of events that can look like or feel like a epileptic seizure. Hence a detailed history and examination is needed to make a diagnosis.

An EEG, MRI Brain or blood tests may be required to help make a diagnosis or identify the etiology.
An anticonvulsant may be required to control seizures. This will be required to be taken daily, twice a day at regular times and for a period of upto 2 years or more.

Safety of children with epilepsy is important as death due to an accident whilst having a seizure or sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is possible.

Safety consideration is necessary for attending school or travelling to school on a cycle. Sports such as swimming need consideration. In general the aim of treatment is to be able to live as normal a life as possible.

In general avoiding or including particular food does not help. A ketogenic diet is available but this cannot be done by making minor changes in diet.

Lack of sleep is known to be a trigger for epileptic seizures.

There is no cure for epilepsy other than performing surgery in a small number of cases where a lesion is identified on MRI that is responsible for the epilepsy. Even this cannot be guaranteed.

Genetic or Idiopathic (no clear cause found) epilepsies can get better or the child can ‘grow out’ of this at a certain age, or after a seizure free period of 2-3 years.