“Balancing life’s risks against its rewards: some say it’s the key to living well.”
Having epilepsy may increase life’s risks, at least for some. Should you be taking special safety precautions? A lot depends on the kind of seizure you have, how often they happen, and the kinds of things that are important in your life.
When you have the tendency to have seizures, you have to strike a balance between the way you want to live your life, your personal freedom, and your personal safety.
If you have very brief staring episodes, or only have seizures while asleep, your chance of being injured is probably low. People with frequent seizures that affect consciousness and happen without warning (especially convulsions and drop seizures) are the most likely to be at risk of injury.
Studies show that only about 1% of seizures actually result in injuries. Accidents are not evenly distributed among epilepsy patients; those with accidents have usually had more than one. Overall, the annual chance that a person with epilepsy will visit an emergency department because of an injury as a result of a seizure is estimated to be 5%.
Certainly, activities taking place at heights, near water or some other hazard increase your risk of being hurt if you are prone to having seizures. So ask yourself: Can this activity be made safer? Is this activity important enough to me to take the risk involved?
Each of us, and our families, has to weigh how much we value an activity against any risks of injury it may carry. Sometimes the answer depends on individual health, preferences and lifestyle. Make decisions that will have a positive effect on your life!
People with epilepsy should not be overprotected. Remember, restrictions will not ensure that accidents will not happen. When some risk is unavoidable, it is important not to overreact, since unnecessary restrictions on one’s independence (especially on children with epilepsy) may cause greater harm that the potential accident.