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DateLine Sunday, 9 September 2007

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Government Gazette

Epilepsy is curable with simple medication

More school dropouts have been reported due to the stigma attached to epilepsy and lack of awareness among parents about the illness, which is curable with simple medication.

Senior Consultant Neurologist of the Colombo National Hospital Dr. Ranjani Gamage said that though epilepsy was curable it was proved that epileptics could lead normal lives after continuous medication for a period of time, still some myths related to the illness hinder people seeking medication.

According to Dr. Gamage epilepsy has been proved to be not a mental disease or retardation and is a momentary thing which is be easily treatable with simple and cost effective medication.

She said that the majority of schoolgoing patients avoid schooling mainly due to the stigma and due to poor help from the primary school teachers and parents for them to continue with schooling.

"Of the total number of patients seeking medication at the special unit of the Colombo National Hospital, over 50 per cent of the adult patients had stopped their education at grade five. Only 25 per cent have studied up to GCE Ordinary Level", she said adding that out of 300,000 people, over 90 per cent of patients lead very productive lives and live without the fear of seizure attacks.

Over 70 per cent of the patients get cured totally with continuous medication and 15 to 20 per cent will get rid of seizures after surgery but less than 10 per cent of the patients suffer from prolonged epilepsy as it cannot be controlled due to some serious conditions.

Dr. Gamage who is also the Chairperson of the Epilepsy Task Force (ETF) said that no islandwide figures of school dropouts were available but the figures may be much higher as rural communities still believe the myths related to epilepsy.

" They think that the illness is a result of an evil force and try to continue with spiritual rituals. One schoolgoing child was referred to the Clinic with severe burn injuries. Her parents due to ignorance had put her hand into hot water to prevent her from shivering after an epileptic attack", she said.

The ETF has selected 'Epilepsy and the schoolchild' as the theme this year to raise awareness among the parents and schoolteachers the need of continuing the education despite the illness. "Primary schoolteachers can play a major role in keeping these children in school.

The problem is when they find a child suffering with an epileptic seizure they tell the parents to bring the child when fully cured. Since epilepsy will take three to five years to recover fully these children won't return to school", she said.

Dr. Gamage said teachers could also play an important role in diagnosing initial symptoms of epilepsy. "Instead teachers can encourage children with epilepsy to come to school and they can advise other children and also the parents about the illness. The only thing that the teachers could do is help and take extra care about these children when doing sports", she said.

 

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