Childhood Epilepsy Facts:
From www.epilepsyfoundation.org
The Facts:
- Currently affects more than 300,000 children under the age of 14.
- May be time limited or long term. Early recognition and treatment are keys to the best possible outcome.
Incidence -- Seizures:
- 300,000 people have a first convulsion each year.
- 120,000 of them are under the age of 18.
- Between 75,000 and 100,000 of them are children under the age of 5 who have experienced a febrile (fever-caused) seizure.
Incidence -- Epilepsy:
- 200,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each year.
- Incidence is highest under the age of 2 and over 65.
- 45,000 children under the age of 15 develop epilepsy each year.
- Males are slightly more likely to develop epilepsy than females.
- Incidence is greater in African American and socially disadvantaged populations.
- Trend shows decreased incidence in children; increased incidence in the elderly.
- In 70 percent of new cases, no cause is apparent.
- 50 percent of people with new cases of epilepsy will have generalized onset seizures.
- Generalized seizures are more common in children under the age of 10; afterwards more than half of all new cases of epilepsy will have partial seizures.
Epilepsy Links: Sites where Joaquin has been mentioned: Joaquin's Favorite Links: 
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