Epilepsy
How to read the stories

Epilepsy

People with epilepsy are people who sometimes have a fit. Fits are also called seizures, turns, blackouts or attacks. Doctors prefer to call them seizures. A fit happens when someone’s brain suddenly stops working properly for a short time. If someone has just one fit in their whole life, they do not have epilepsy.

What is a fit?

Different people have different kinds of fits. Some people fall over, then their body starts to jerk. They are not awake. They may wet themselves. They may dirty themselves. Other people may get shakes in just one arm or leg. Some people know when they are going to have a fit. They may get a funny feeling in their tummy or a funny taste. They call this a warning, or aura. Some people get no warning. Some people may undress themselves in the street or do something else that is unusual for them. Some people are awake when they have a fit. Other people do not even know they have had a fit until someone else tells them. They were not awake. They do not remember having a fit. A few people have more than one kind of fit.

What can cause a fit?

All epileptic fits start off in the brain. The brain controls our movements. The brain controls whether we are asleep or awake. It sorts out what we see, hear or smell. All our thoughts come from our brains. The brain is made of smaller parts called cells. The different parts of the brain send electrical messages to one another. Sometimes far too many messages are sent out all at once. The brain cannot sort out so many messages. It suddenly stops working properly for a few seconds. When that happens in someone’s brain the person has an epileptic fit. After a few seconds the brain goes back to its usual way of working. An epileptic fit is not the same as being angry or sad. It is not the same as not understanding. People with epilepsy cannot usually control when they have fits.

How to read the stories

There is no right or wrong way to read the stories.

Some people are not used to reading stories. Start at the beginning and read the story in each picture. Encourage the reader to move through the pages at their own pace.
Encourage the person to tell the story in their own words. You will discover what they think is happening, what they already know, and how they feel. If you are using the pictures to help explain a procedure to someone, you may need to describe or clarify the actions being shown in each picture to help them understand. Try not to challenge the reader(s) or suggest their ideas are wrong.
Some pictures may be more difficult to understand. It can help to prompt the people you are supporting, for example:
•   Who do you think that is?
•   What is happening?
•   How is he or she feeling?
•   Do you feel like that? Has it happened to you/ your friend/ your family?
Allow people enough time to follow the pictures at their own pace. Allow time for discussion of each picture.
Some people may benefit from reading the larger story from which the extract has been taken. This will allow them to explore their feelings and experiences in more depth. To buy the complete book, follow the link to the bookshop that appears at the end of the story.