Click to play videoNew Delhi: Priya developed epilepsy way back in 1958. She says she has been suffering from the disease since she was 14, but that she is a normal person and likes doing everything that normal people do.
"I like reading, photography, listening to music and travelling," says she.
Epilepsy is brain disorder and is characterised by seizures, which happen when clusters of nerve cells or neurons send in the wrong signals. It may be followed by violent muscle spams or loss of consciousness.
Sr Neurologist at Apollo hospital, Dr P N Renjen says, "The other symptoms of this disorder are more complex where the patient has a momentary loss of contact with his surroundings. In children, there is something called abdominal epilepsy where they develop a pain in the abdomen. Even vomiting could be a manifestation of this disorder."
According to the Journal of Neurological Sciences, 60 Indians out of every 100,000 are suffering from this chronic disorder, and the cases are much higher in rural India than in urban India.
"There is a social stigma in India, especially in urban India. No parent wants their child to be told — especially in school — that their child is epileptic," says Dr Renjen.
With epilepsy, comes social stigma that patients often face. So they may meet me 20 years later, but they still remember me as that epileptic, and not me as a person," says Priya.
Care is of utmost importance for people suffering from this disorder. If you are observer, you can be useful in preventing injuries by immediately cushioning the person's head and loosen any tight neck wear.
Never put anything in the person's mouth to try or pry the teeth apart, the person will not swallow his or her tongue. And above else, be sensitive to the patient's condition.
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