Our video, Epilepsy: Qaug Dlaab Peg Hab Chualeeg, is an "Ava" 2008 Gold Award Winner for audio-visual excellence in the "Medical/Patient Education" category.

Welcome!

We hope you find this site useful in helping care for a child with epilepsy, or in supporting families dealing with epilepsy whether you’re a parent, a community resource for families, or a physician.

The Network

The Wisconsin Seizure Control Network network is a group of agencies, families, and individuals working together to make Wisconsin the best place in the world for children with seizures, and for those who care for them.

This website is a part of that effort, along with our family newsletter, Brainstorms. If you wish to receive your own isssues of Brainstorms directly and "fresh off the press" send us an email at seizurenet@yahoo.com and we’ll add you to our mailing list.

What is EPILEPSY?

Epilepsy is simply the name for a condition whereby the brain sometimes "short-circuits," causing a temporary loss of consciousness. These episodes are called seizures. There are various kinds of seizures, just as there are various causes of seizures. But having seizures should never become the definition of a person! It is only one part of who a child is, just as height and hair color and personality. Perhaps our most important message is:

Kids need to be kids!

There are new diagnostic tools and new therapies constantly being developed, but as you know, a big part of growing up with epilepsy is the day-to-day interaction with others at home, at church, at school, at playgrounds and other social situations. Unfortunately there are old, out-dated ideas about epilepsy that still permeate society.

One such idea is that children with epilepsy must be protected from their condition. It is true that some children with tonic-clonic seizures may need to wear helmets, and some should not swim, but with these precautions in place, they should be allowed to be as active as possible, and to participate with others as fully as possible in physical education, sports, and playground fun. In fact, families have noticed that children with epilepsy who participate in sports seem to have fewer seizures than those who don’t.

Join Us!

We are still building the Network, and the newsletter, and this website! We invite you to be a part of it. An easy way to start is to take our Family Survey. If you don’t want to answer all the questions, you can fill out only the parts that matter most to you. Your answers will help us know what real families really need for their children in dealing with epilepsy.

Another way you can help is by sending us articles and pictures for Brainstorms.  Do you have a funny story, a helpful idea to share, or maybe just a great picture of child with epilepsy having fun or making a goofy face or just giving you a great big “I love you” smile?  Send them in and share them with others!

Please feel free to contact us!

We've last updated our site on November 4, 2009