People often have fear and misconceptions about a disease like epilepsy. Many people think that if the mother or father has epilepsy, then the child will also definitely have this disease. Is this true or not? Understand what the doctors say?
Epilepsy genetic risk in children: Epilepsy is a big problem today. Many people do not know the reason behind it and fall into the trap of black magic to cure it. Health experts also keep advising not to do this. However, epilepsy is a brain-related disease. This disease occurs due to disturbance in the function of the brain.
In many cases, it can also be genetic. But people are less aware of it. Epilepsy is a neurological (brain-related) disease in which the electrical activity of the brain suddenly becomes abnormal and the patient gets seizures . But the question arises that if one of the parents has epilepsy, can this problem be passed on to the child or the next generation?
Is epilepsy genetic?
People have many kinds of fears and myths about a disease like epilepsy. Many people believe that if the parents have epilepsy, then the children will also have this disease. But neurosurgeon Dr. Daljit Singh says that this is not always the case. If someone in the family has epilepsy, then the risk of it is slightly higher in children than in normal people. But this does not mean that this happens in all cases. It is not necessary that if the parents have this disease, then the child will also have it.
What is the risk of epilepsy in children?
For example, if one of the parents has epilepsy, then the risk of it in the child increases by about 5% to 10%. On the other hand, if both parents have epilepsy, then the risk of it increases in their child. Whereas in families where this disease is not present, the risk of it in children is about 1 percent or even less.
How serious is epilepsy?
Treatment of epilepsy is possible but some people leave the treatment midway because the treatment is long. Due to this, this disease can take a serious form. For example, suddenly fainting, having memory problems are symptoms of epilepsy. If this happens, you should consult a doctor without delay.
What are the reasons other than being genetic?
- Brain injury at birth
- infections (such as meningitis)
- Brain Tumor
- stroke or severe head injury
- abnormal development of brain nerves
If there have been cases of epilepsy in your family and you are worried about your child's health, it is important to consult a neurologist or genetic counselor. With timely testing and proper guidance, you can understand the risk and start the right treatment if needed.
