Today’s guest article is contributed by Meredith Walker, who writes about the masters in public health. She welcomes your feedback at “MeredithWalker1983 at gmail.com” Enjoy the article and please make her feel welcome!

Complex partial seizures are epileptic seizures that affect one particular region of the brain. These seizures do not usually cause a tonic seizure more commonly associated with epilepsy, but instead affect thoughts and behavior.

Sufferers may go undiagnosed or misunderstood as this type of seizure is often not recognized as a physical disability and thought, instead, to be a mental disorder. Even when diagnosed, those with complex partial seizures may feel isolated as this invisible disability may not be recognized. The good news is that these types of seizures are often well-controlled by medication.

Here are seven facts to help you better understand complex partial seizures.

1. No control, no memory. During a complex partial seizure, a person cannot interact normally with others because she is not in control of her body. After the seizure, the person probably will not remember what happened during the seizure.
2. Not all seizures look the same. A person having a complex partial seizure may look like they are continuing with their activities or pursuing rather normal activities. Other people having this type of seizure may act strangely, crying, screaming, repeating the same words, or taking off their clothes.
3. What it looks like. When observing someone going into a seizure, it may appear that she is staring into space, but may then begin to engage in activities.
4. Early warning. Some people with complex partial seizures get early warning signals such as a visual aura, an odd sensation of fear or déjà vu, or a sensation of tingling or numbness. For others, however, the seizures can onset very rapidly with no warning.
5. Duration. These seizures can last from 30 seconds to several minutes. Many people are disoriented or sleepy and may not feel normal again for many hours.
6. Causes. Complex partial seizures may be caused by any number of factors. Commonly, brain injury, illness that affects the brain, or stroke can cause these seizures. There is also some evidence that children who experience prolonged or frequent febrile seizures are at greater risk for complex partial seizures.
7. Helping someone having a complex partial seizure. Stay with that person until the seizure has passed. Try to guide the person to sit quietly. Do not use force unless he is acting dangerously to himself or others or may be putting himself at risk.  Remove any objects from the area that may be dangerous.

How does Social Security look at children’s disability cases based on epilepsy or other seizure disorders?

Social Security first considers the Listing of Impairments. The Listings are a set of descriptions of medical conditions which can be disabling. The Listings tell you the what kind medical evidence you need and the medical findings to prove that the condition is disabling.  While the Listings are not the only way to be found disabled, they are very important in children’s disability cases.

For seizure disorders, there are two critical Listings.

• 111.02 Major motor seizure disorder
• 111.03 Nonconvulsive epilepsy
  

Listing 111.02 Major motor seizure disorder

This Listing primarily applies in convulsive seizure disorder cases.

A. Convulsive epilepsy. In a child with an established diagnosis of epilepsy, the occurrence of more than one major motor seizure per month despite at least three months of prescribed treatment. With:

1. Daytime episodes (loss of consciousness and convulsive seizures); or

2. Nocturnal episodes manifesting residuals which interfere with activity during the day.

B. Convulsive epilepsy syndrome. In a child with an established diagnosis of epilepsy, the occurrence of at least one major motor seizure in the year prior to application despite at least three months of prescribed treatment. And one of the following:

1. IQ of 70 or less; or

2. Significant interference with communication due to speech, hearing, or visual defect; or

3. Significant mental disorder; or

4. Where significant adverse effects of medication interfere with major daily activities.

To be found disabled under this Listing, you must show be able to prove either the

• “A” criteria: 2 or more convulsive seizures per month with loss of consciousness, during the day, or at night with side effects (residuals) that last into the daytime hours; or the
• “B” criteria: 1 convulsive in the last year and one of the 4 subparts.

111.03 Nonconvulsive epilepsy

This listing deals with non-convulsive seizures which may or may not include loss of consciousness.

In a child with an established seizure disorder, the occurrence of more than one minor motor seizure per week, with alteration of awareness or loss of consciousness, despite at least 3 months of prescribed treatment.

In both of these Listing, there has to be a well-established diagnosis, and the seizures have to continue despite 3 or more months of treatment.

Disability cases based on seizure disorders are a very special kind of disability case.

If your case goes in front of an Administrative Law Judge, you can expect to be asked these questions:

• How often do you have seizures?
• What happens during a seizure?
• How do you feel after a seizure?  
• What do you have to do after a seizure (lie down, sleep etc)? And for how long?
• Are you treating with a doctor?
• Are you taking your medications as prescribed? How long have you been taking your medications?

While seizure disorders (epilepsy, partial complex seizures, etc.) are often disabling, simply having a seizure disorder is not enough to be found disabled. In many cases, medications control the frequency or severity of seizures.

Of course, in many cases, they do not. 

But, to improve your chances of winning your case, you have to be ready to talk about your seizures, how often they happen and how they effect you.

It’s a great video!  Greg talks about seizures starting at 3:50.

If you have a family member, or a friend, with epilepsy or another seizure disorder, it can be scary and you may not know what to do when a seizure happens.

Scott Mehle, executive director of Tallahassee’s Epilepsy Association of the Big Bend, recently discussed this:

“They should just know what to do and not do when someone happens to have a seizure in public. Keeping the seizing person safe from injury is primary. Don’t restrain them. Don’t insert anything into their mouths . . . just gently turn them on their sides. Remove furniture or objects that are sharp or hard and cushion their heads,” he said.

“If after five minutes the seizure continues, then call 911. Most seizures, as bad as they look, are not medical emergencies.”

Link: Living with epilepsy: Medication, planning can help smooth out life | Tallahassee Democrat.  Update: article taken down.