Epilepsy Awareness Month 2022

News and Announcements | October 11, 2022 | Cook Children's

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month across the U.S. It's a month dedicated to helping educate others about seizures, its symptoms and options for treatment of the fourth most common neurological condition in the U.S. Epilepsy affects 1 in 26 people during their lifetime and 3.4 million people are currently living with active epilepsy. That is why each year, the Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health at Cook Children's continues the tradition of making this month a priority to raise awareness for this common, yet rarely discussed condition.

Our theme this year is, “Cure It Cowboy!” Over the past decade, significant strides have been made in the treatment of epilepsy with some of the most recent advancements focused on disease-modifying therapy. These therapies aim to treat not only seizures, but address the underlying cause of epilepsy in such a way as to alter the natural history of the condition. Some of the most exciting new therapies are in treatment of the genetic epilepsies, such as Dravet syndrome secondary to variants in SCN1A. Neuroscience Grand Rounds will welcome Ingo Helbig, M.D., a pediatric epileptologist from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, to discuss the latest in diagnosis and treatment of genetic epilepsies. Also, throughout November, Cook Children's Medical Center and landmarks across Fort Worth will light the skyline purple, the official color of epilepsy awareness.

Other activities throughout the month will include presentations during the annual Epilepsy Awareness Day at Disneyland, as well as a variety of stories shared throughout the month on our social media channels. We invite everyone throughout the month and the entire year to raise awareness for the 1 in 26 people living with epilepsy.

To request a consultation or refer a patient, call 682-885-2500.