Epilepsy Epilepsy is a medical condition where a person has recurring unprovoked seizures. Having a single seizure does not mean that a person has epilepsy. Many people have a single isolated seizure and don’t go on to develop epilepsy. Seizures are short episodes when a person does not function normally because of abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Nerve cells communicate with each other through electrical impulses. During a seizure, these impulses become overactive or occur at the same time, which leads to irregular brain activity. This can cause changes in behavior and body functioning. Epilepsy affects nearly 3 million people of all ages in the United States. Epilepsy does not have a single cause. In fact, for many people with epilepsy, no cause is ever found. Some known causes include: •Developmental abnormalities in the brain •Infections that injure the brain •Lack of oxygen to the brain •Disturbance in blood circulation to the brain (stroke and other vascular problems) •Tumors of the brain •Previous trauma (such as brain injury) •Genetic Cause Some of the symptoms and behaviors that can occur during a seizure include: •Convulsions (uncontrollable muscle stiffening and shaking) •Brief staring spells •Repetitive, automatic behavior, such as chewing movements •Decreased awareness of what is going on...