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Chronicle (Levin), 30 December 1946, Page 8

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EPILEPSY ' . Most parents, although frightenud when their child has, a convulsion, recognise it as a sign of some teinporarv upset — unusual excitement, some food .indiscretion, the beginmng of'1 some aeute disease, and so on. All -is well provided a convulsion does not keep coiuing back at intervals as the baby grows into a toddler and tbe toddler becomes a scbool c-liild. When a convulsion occurs periodically over the year, it is/ a disease — epilepsy. Tliere are two kinds of seizures, ealled petit mai and grand mai. In the Jirst, "little sickness" type, tliere is only tiiiomeiitarv lapse -of conseiousness — the patient faints, or has a lapse for a few seconds, stares into spaee, is vacant luentally — then reeovers. In tlie "big sickness" type "tliere is detinite convulsion- in which. tlie patient falls down, frotlis at tlie mouth, and is uneonscious for quite a while. Ile niav liurt hiinself and jiite his tongue, unless looked after while having the jerky inuscular movements that accompan'y tlie lit. A mouth gag of any kind will save tongue -injury. Tlie cause of epilepsy is obscure. Tliere niay be a family history 011 one or other parent 's side of undue, nervousness, neurasthenia, hysteria or epilepsy. Tlie veuereal disease of sypliilus or chronie alcoholism in either parent, lias been blamed. So has injury at birtli from ditficult delivery, causing braiii damage or haemorrhage. ■ A brain tumour or bead injury may be traced sometimes. However, in a great many eases, 110 actual cause cau be . found. The eariier tliese recurrent periodical seizures appear the worse the outlook. If the attacks become frequent, j graduallv feeblemindeness develops. Where tliere is no apparent cause, sucli as a tumour or skull depression tliai can be operated 011, medieal Irealmerit aims at warding oif attacks as long as possible and making them less damaging as tbev occur. Unf ortunately, tliere is 110 universal cure. A ctuiet life,: plenty of rest, exercise in the freah air and sometimes a higli-fat lowcarbolivdtale diet, and glatid Cktfkdt treatment lielp pnlient. Tmminal is the medicine used 1o lessen and space out the attacks. As soon as recognised an epileptie cliild should be under medieal guidanee.