Reducing Your Risk of Epilepsy
En Español (Spanish Version)
Taking preventive measures may prevent some cases of
epilepsy
. These measures include:
-
Preventing head injuries by:
- Wearing seat belts and bicycle helmets
- Putting children in car seats
-
Treating a seizure properly by:
- Seeking medical help immediately after suffering a first seizure
- Taking medication after the first or second seizure
-
Getting good prenatal care to help prevent brain damage to a developing fetus:
- Treating high fevers (especially in children) with medication
-
Taking steps to prevent or control certain medical conditions, including:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Infections
- Any disorder that may affect or injure your brain
-
Avoiding:
- Illicit drugs
- Excessive amounts of alcohol
Berkow R.
The Merck Manual of Medical Information.
17th ed. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster; 2000.
Epilepsy Foundation
website. Available at:
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/
.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
.
Last Reviewed March 2013