Epilepsy Foundation

Did You Know?

Epilepsy currently affects an estimated 3 million Americans.
In 70% of people with epilepsy, there is NO identifiable cause.
Epilepsy in America costs $15.5 billion a year.
Each year in the U.S., an estimated 200,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed.
People of all ages, races, and in all walks of life can develop Epilepsy.
Epilepsy is not contagious.
Epilepsy in not a mental illness.
In 40% of people with epilepsy, seizures persist despite treatment.
Epilepsy is more common than Parkinson’s Disease, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis and Muscular Dystrophy combined.
Incorrect information, old-fashioned attitudes and myths about epilepsy are the greatest obstacles faced by those who have epilepsy.
When seizures are not controlled, epilepsy is a devastating, chronic disorder.
10% of American population will experience a seizure in their lifetime
45,000 children under the age of 15 develop epilepsy every year.
Males are slightly more likely to develop epilepsy than females.
Epilepsy is defined as having recurrent (two or more), unprovoked seizures.
A resident of Tennessee must wait 6 months after his last seizure in order to regain his license to drive.
A “seizure disorder” and “epilepsy” are the same.
In our jurisdiction of 13 counties, approximately 14,555 people have a history of seizures.
70% of children who are otherwise normal will outgrow epilepsy.
40% of children outgrow absence seizures.
Children with absence epilepsy have I.Q. scores 10% higher than normal.
½ of children with absence epilepsy will experience at least one tonic-clonic seizure.
Epilepsy can be expected to develop in 10 – 15% of children with mental retardation
Epilepsy can be expected to develop in 13% of children with cerebral palsy
Epilepsy can be expected to develop in up to 50% of children with mental retardation and cerebral palsy.
Epilepsy can be expected to develop in 8.7% of children whose mothers have epilepsy
Epilepsy can be expected to develop in 2.4% of children whose fathers have epilepsy
As many as 2/3 of children with epilepsy have some type of measurable learning problem.
As many as 1/3 of children with epilepsy require special education.
Approximately 2 out of every 100 adults in Tennessee have a history of seizures.

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