This book speaks to young people with epilepsy and their families, but also to educators, nurses, social workers, and anyone trying to understand how to help children with this condition move beyond it. Epilepsy carries a long history: for centuries it meant incurable illness, or at best lifelong dependence on medication. The truth is different. Most epilepsies are treatable. There is no single "epilepsy" but many "epilepsies"; some will resolve on their own, others will respond to the right therapy, and still others will yield significant improvements in the child's quality of life.
The book unfolds in three parts. The first gives readers the basics: what epilepsy is and how seizures work. The second examines the clinical picture across different ages and stresses the importance of diagnosis and treatment. The third explores the psychological and social dimensions, showing that most cases of epilepsy have nothing to do with weakness or mental illness.
A final chapter by Professor Raffaele Canger addresses Italian law on epilepsy and answers practical questions: career guidance, job selection, disability pensions, and more.
What stands out is the authors' professional rigor and their thoughtful, intelligent care for children and their struggles.
- N. L., 1989