What would you do if you saw someone having a seizure? Would you know what to do?

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month and the Epilepsy Foundation’s national initiative – Get Seizure Smart – is a grassroots public awareness campaign aimed at getting information about seizure first aid and recognition into the hands of as many Americans as possible, so they will know how to respond if they see someone having a seizure. Even though epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder affecting all age groups, it is still largely misunderstood by the general public.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, 25,000 to 50,000 people will  die of seizures and related causes this year. Some people live well with controlled seizures, while others, approximately one-third of Americans with epilepsy,  have seizures that are resistant to medical treatment. Epilepsy causes many people to live with constant anxiety, wondering when the next seizure will strike. No age group or demographic is exempt. It is estimated that 1 in 100 children will be diagnosed with epilepsy before age 20, and the number of cases in the elderly continues to soar as the baby boomer generation approaches retirement age. Currently, more than 570,000 adults ages 65 and older in the United States have the condition.