Other factors include a head trauma from an accident; prior brain tumors or strokes, particularly in those over age 35; infectious diseases, including AIDS, meningitis or viral encephalitis; injuries sustained before birth because of infection, poor nutrition or oxygen deficiency to the fetus; and developmental disorders, including autism and neurofibromatosis.
A prior stroke or other vascular diseases may also produce seizures; a poor diet, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to the risk of seizures; dementia, brain infections, and brain inflammation also boost a person’s risk. It is also believed that high fevers in childhood may also be at higher risk.
VARIATIONS OF SEIZURES
There are many types of epileptic seizures, but they are usually classified into two major categories: generalized and partial seizures, sometimes referred to as focal or local. The classifications are used to determine whether the person suffering from the seizures has epilepsy.
In generalized seizures, electrical impulses flow throughout the entire brain, while partial seizures occur only in a small portion of the brain. Partial seizures can later expand into a broader area). The brain area believed to be generating the seizures is the focus.
There are six types of generalized seizures. They include:
1. Grand Mal - A seizure that produces convulsions, unconsciousness, and muscle rigidity
2. Absence – Seizures that lead to a brief loss of consciousness