Brain injuries and epilepsy: Amelia’s story

Every 33 minutes, someone is diagnosed with epilepsy in Australia. The “Make March Purple for epilepsy” annual campaign is an opportunity to bring greater awareness to epilepsy and the lives of the many people it touches.

Various resources are available to assist people suffering from epilepsy, we’ve shared some below.  

Epilepsy prevalence

Epilepsy is a common condition, with 3-4 % of people likely to develop the condition at some stage. 

However, these odds significantly increase for individuals with brain injuries or conditions. Our medical negligence team has vast experience working with clients who have suffered from many different acquired brain injuries and conditions, including cerebral palsy, hypoxic brain injuries, hypoglycaemic brain injuries, haemorrhages, strokes and tumours. While each of these types of injuries can have significant and long-lasting effects, there is often a common outcome for people with these conditions – epilepsy.

• Approximately 1 in 10 people will experience an early seizure after traumatic brain injury
• Strokes are one of the greatest contributors to an epilepsy diagnosis in later years 
• 30 to 50 percent of children with cerebral palsy will experience co-occurring epilepsy, which is most common among children with limited mobility. 

Treatment, management & medications

It’s important that people who have epilepsy seek the appropriate treatment and management.

The World Health Organisation estimates that up to 70% of people living with epilepsy could become seizure-free with the appropriate use of antiseizure medicines. Medication management is integral to controlling this condition and improving quality of life.

Our client, Amelia

Amelia is a 7-year-old who suffers from spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy following an alleged traumatic birth resulting in debilitating injuries. In addition to her diagnosis of cerebral palsy, Amelia was diagnosed with epilepsy and suffers from seizures. This diagnosis meant that on top of Amelia’s high care needs due to her cerebral palsy, Amelia’s parents had to provide additional supervision to monitor for seizures during the day and at night. If her seizures were not controlled, they had to drive a significant distance to the nearest hospital. 

Amelia’s parents have accessed resources and treatment to assist with Amelia’s epilepsy diagnosis and medication management. With the assistance of specialist support and medication management, Amelia’s seizures are now well controlled, improving her quality of life and resulting in fewer hospital admissions. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced in 2022 that they will make it a priority to improve the lives of people living with epilepsy over the next 10 years, with the release of a technical brief, which aims to help increase access to services.

Resources:

Further information and support can be found at the following organisations:

• QLD: Epilepsy QLD provides support to families, training and can assist with developing epilepsy management plans.
• NDIS: funding can be obtained in some circumstances for those suffering from epilepsy.
• Treating practitioners and neurologists will provide management and medication advice.