9th April 2023
Medical experts have revealed that aside from epilepsy, some congenital and acquired health conditions can cause seizures in adults and children.
According to them, trauma or injury to the head, meningitis or any assault to the brain can cause seizures in individuals.
They, however, noted that seizures are more common in children than adults because children tend to have electrolyte derailment.
According to Healthline, an online health portal, electrolytes are minerals that control important physiologic functions of the body.
It noted that electrolyte imbalance occurs when the body’s mineral levels are too high or too low, adding that this can negatively affect vital body systems.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, the physicians warned that seizures could lead to death if multiple episodes occur without prompt medical, life-saving interventions.
They frowned at instances where people apply wrong interventions such as forcing a spoon and salt in the mouth of a person experiencing seizure.
They advised that the person should rather, be taken to the hospital for proper medical evaluation to ascertain the likely cause of the seizure.
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons defined seizure as a sudden alteration of behaviour due to a temporary change in the electrical functioning of the brain.
Mayo Clinic, on its site, described it as a sudden, uncontrolled burst of electrical activity in the brain.
Recall that Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, recently lost his first son, Kambilichukwu Edochie.
The teenager, who had just celebrated his 16th birthday, reportedly died after experiencing a seizure while playing football with his mates in school.
In another related development, a 45-year-old, South African taxi driver was reported to have lost control of his vehicle during a seizure.
The spokesperson for Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department in South Africa, Lieutenant-Colonel, Kelebogile Thepa, said the incident led to the death of a security guard.Giving insight into the causes and treatment of seizures, a Consultant Neurosurgeon at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara State, Dr. Nurudeen Adeleke, said it is a symptom of an underlying health condition.
He pointed out that as neurosurgeons, their concern is to address the root cause of the seizure and not the symptoms.
Dr. Adeleke said anything that can damage the brain or cause head injury could lead to a seizure.
He said, “A seizure essentially means abnormal discharge within the brain. Our brain has electrical activities always going on inside. So, when you now have an abnormal discharge in a particular part of the brain, it can spread to other parts, thereby, causing excessive brain activity.
“So, when that happens, we can say somebody has a seizure. Most times, seizures are mainly timed or can be referred to as symptoms seen in a patient. They happen as a result of a problem within the brain.
“The problem could be structural or functional. What I mean by structural is that a particular part of the brain may be abnormal and starts discharging excessively, or if there is an assault on that part of the brain, it can cause structural damage, leading to excessive discharge.
“Functional means that the cause is due to an imbalance in the electrolyte within the body. When that occurs, it can as well cause seizures.”
SOURCE PUNCH