This page is dedicated to Phillip's Daddy - Jamie - who has seen more seizures than he ever thought he would.  Also, because even though Phillip has problems and I had "baggage" when he and I met, he loved us.  And he loves us still... so... Thank you, Jamie for everything that you have "put up with" and for loving us despite all of our "problems"!  We love you!

Phillip TIDBITs:  his favorite color is red - which he currenlty calls "Firetruck" instead of "red", his favorite character is Barney, and his favorite Disney character is "Ickey" (Mickey), he can name all of the characters on Dora the Explorer and he LOVES Higglytown Heroes! 

Phillip and his epilepsy...

About Epilepsy in general:

Epilepsy (sometimes referred to as a seizure disorder) is a common chronic neurological condition that is characterized by recurrent unprovoked epileptic seizures. It affects approximately 50 million people worldwide. It is usually controlled, but not cured, with medication – although surgery may be considered in difficult cases.

In most cases, the proper emergency response to a generalized tonic-clonic epileptic seizure is simply to prevent the patient from self-injury by moving him or her away from sharp edges, placing something soft beneath the head, and carefully rolling the person onto his or her side to avoid asphyxiation. Should the person regurgitate, the material should be allowed to drip out the side of the patient's mouth by itself. If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, Emergency Medical Services should be contacted. Prolonged seizures may develop into status epilepticus, a dangerous condition requiring hospitalization and emergency treatment.

Objects should never be placed in a person's mouth during a seizure as this could result in injury to the person's mouth or obstruction of the airway. Despite common folklore, it is not possible for a person to swallow their own tongue during a seizure.

After a seizure, it is typical for a person to be confused, disoriented, and possibly agitated or sleepy. It is important to stay with the person until this passes; people should not eat or drink until they have returned to their normal level of awareness, and they should not be allowed to wander about unsupervised. Many patients will sleep deeply for a few hours after a seizure; this is not dangerous. In about 50% of people with epilepsy, headaches may occur after a seizure. These headaches share many features with migraines, and respond to the same medications.

Phillip's Epilepsy:

Phillip's seizures had been the same since he was 9 months old.  He started having 'complex partial seizures'  with an 'aura', in which he rubs his nose, smacks his mouth, stares, and then falls asleep.  Sometimes he vomits, sometimes he doesn't.) (Complex partial seizures represent events of focal cerebral onset which characteristically manifest with a variety of motor, sensory, or behavioral alterations. The "aura" sometimes preceding a seizure is thought to represent an initial sensory symptom produced by focal seizure activity and is often described as a foul odor or taste.  Although motor activity during a complex partial seizure may remain focal, more complex activities or automatisms may occur, including fumbling movements of the hands or walking. Lip smacking or guttural sounds are often evident. Transient somnolence or confusion may follow an event.)   

Then he started having Tonic Clonic Seizures (A generalized tonic-clonic seizure is a seizure involving the entire body, usually characterized by muscle rigidity, violent rhythmic muscle contractions, and loss of consciousness. The condition is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the nerve cells of the brain.)  When he has a tonic clonic seizure his entire body goes rigid for just a second (arms thrown out to the side, head back) then he grabs a hold of you with all of his might (kind of like he's scared - which he probably is) and the he either falls asleep, or he seems to be fine - like nothing ever happened.  These are really scary - scarier than his complex partial seizures.  Thankfully, he has only had a few of them! 

Phillip is currently taking three medications, twice a day and along with the new one - they are doing the job.  He is being weaned off of his oldest medication because he is at a "max dose" of it (meaning that he can't take ANY higher dose than he's already on - or it may become toxic to him).  Right now - he's having about one seizure a month.

The way that Phillip works:  his body is constantly fighting off seizures and when anything "drastic" happens to him, or he starts to get sick:  he can't fight off the over-whelming feelings that change brings on, or the sickness... so he has seizures. 

FINALLY he is starting to recognize that something is "wrong" and he has started to come to us before a seizure.  Before now - we would just have to watch for "cues" that a seizure was coming, or we would just find him lying somewhere - which we HATE!  Now though - he will come to us and either climb up in our lap or - his latest "thing" is that he will come and put our hand on his head and say "What's wrong?  What's wrong?"  It's very upsetting to not be able to explain to him what IS wrong - but we just tell him that he's having a seizure and that we're right here.  I'm just so glad that he is starting to realize that something isn't right & to come to us.

If you have any questions about Phillip's epilepsy please feel free to cotact me, my email address is listed below.  Thanks for reading and God Bless!