Recently, the news has reported that a few people have had seizures while watching the new movie, "Twilight." I remember back in the late 1990s, several children had some seizures while watching "Pokeman" or playing certain video games. The cause of it is related to an epileptic seizure known as photosensitive epilepsy, which is triggered by flashing or strobe lights. It is often genetically inherited.
Here are answers to some of your questions about seizures.
What is a seizure?
A seizure or convulsion is a sudden increase of electrical or neuronal activity in the brain, causing muscle contractions, strange feelings or sensations, loss of bodily control and typically, a loss of consciousness. Seizures are a symptom of a problem, not the disease; just as fever is a symptom and not the disease.
Seizures may be caused by a variety of problems, including epilepsy, fever, infections, low blood sugar, head injury, stroke, brain tumor or many other problems. The cause may be simple or something more serious. There are many types of seizures, including the primary or generalized seizure, partial, atypical, tonic-clonic, febrile seizure, and the one associated with the flashing lights in the movie, a photosensitive-triggered seizure.
Sometimes children may have a seizure related to a high fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This is not to be confused with the photosensitive epileptic seizure associated with the "Twilight" movie. If the person having a seizure is an infant, then place the baby on his or her side. Do not place a spoon or other object in the person's mouth, and do not try to restrain the person, but make sure he or she is safe from falling or hitting their head on an object. f the infant has something in the mouth then try to remove it so he or she does not choke on it. One out of 25 children has at least one episode of a febrile seizure.
Having one seizure does not always mean you have epilepsy, but it may signal some other type of problem which caused the initial seizure. Thus it is always best to have it checked out by your primary care provider.
In the "Twilight" case, a seizure occurs because of a person's sensitivity to strobe or flashing lights of the white, black and especially the deep red type, which fill up more than 25 percent of your visual field. This type of seizure generally occurs in children or adolescents, but it is not a very common problem.
What should you do if you know that you have a risk for photosensitive seizures?
Avoid strobe lights, or flashing, high frequency lights or known triggers. Also, fatigue, increased stress levels, and alcohol consumption contribute to the risk of having the seizure. Sit at least two feet from the television or movie screen in a well-lit room, or wear specific polarized glasses while watching the television or movie. Additionally, take frequent breaks while playing games with high frequency flashing lights. If you are suddenly confronted with a situation or movie with strobe or flashing lights, cover one eye and try to look away from the movie or television screen.
If you work with computers, avoid looking at a subtle flashing screen for an extended period of time, look away for a few minutes, or reduce the brightness of the screen to a moderate level, or use a special monitor shield.
What do you do if someone has a seizure?
Make sure the person is safe and do not try to restrain the person. Make sure the person is safe from falling or hitting their head on an object and do not put anything into the person's mouth. Be sure to discuss any concerns you may have about seizures or other symptoms with your primary care provider.
