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The Huron Expositor • April 15, 2009 Page 9;.
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March was officially Epilepsy
Awareness Month in Canada and
the campaign continued locally late
last month with a presentation from
Epilepsy Huron -Perth to a group of
10 -year-olds about what to do if a
friend has a seizure.
Suzanne Simpson, education and
support co-ordinator for Epilepsy
Huron -Perth, led the instructional
session at Huron Centennial Public
School, telling students "it's natural
to be scared when someone has a sei-
zure."
"The first step is to stay calm," she
said. "If you're hysterical, everyone
else around you will be hysterical."
Simpson said it's important to also
make sure there are no sharp or
dangerous objects near the person
with epilepsy during a seizure and
to place a pillow or rolled up jacket
under his or her head.
"You should roll them on their side
Suzanne Simpson, education and
support co-ordinator for Epilepsy Huron -
Perth, shows students what happens to
•
the brain during a seizure.
mouth," she added.
Simpson said that while a seizure
is not technically a medical emer-
gency, it can be considered as such
if it last longer than five minutes, it
happens a few times in a row, or if
it's a person's first time having a sei-
zure. •
Students should then do their best
to call an ambulance or immediately
tell an adult, Simpson said, adding
that one in 10 people will have a sei-
zure in their lifetime.
"They occur when brain cells mis-
fire and send the wrong message,"
she said. "The body reacts by having
a seizure."
There are more than 40 different
kinds of seizures and the physical
symptoms can appear very differ-
ently to someone witnessing the sei-
zure.
A person with epilepsy may simply
stare blankly for a few moments or
scream loudly and fall to the floor
and begin to convulse. .
Other seizures look as if the person
is intoxicated, Simpson said, adding-
that it's important to wear a medical
alert bracelet for that reason.
Some people are born with epilepsy
while others develop the neurologi-
cal disorder through drug abuse, al-
coholism, stroke or severe brain
trauma.
It .can ,also be caused by meningitis
and encephalitis. One in 14 seniors
will develop epilepsy.
Simpson told . the students they
could prevent epilepsy caused
through brain damage by wearing
a helmet when bicycling and skate-
boarding.
Once students were: instructed
about what to do when a friend has
a seizure, Simpson told them it's im-
portant not to have a negative stig-
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ma attachedW
ma to
the disorder.
She noted that
author Charles
Dickens and in-
ventor Thomas
Edison are a few
successful peo-
ple who strug-
gled with epilep-
sy throughout
life.
March 26:( was
recognized as a
nation-wide ini-
tiative to spread
awareness about
epilepsy.
Locally, "Pur-
ple Day" had
business own-
ers in Seaforth
'wearing purple
clothes and- decorating their store-
fronts for the event.
"We had eight stores participate,
it was really great," she said, add-
ing that Flower Magic in Seaforth
was announced as the winner of the
decorating contest.
"We were asking people to partici-
pate not as a fundraiser but just in
recognition of epilepsy," she said.
The continuing awareness cam-
paign will have Simpson and repre-
•
•
Connor Ungard, 14, left, and Aubrey Freeman -Powers, 13, put
on a puppet play to Grade 5 students at Huron -Centennial Pub-
lic School about what to do if a friend has an epileptic seizure.-
Dan Schwab photos
sentatives of Epilepsy Huron -Perth
visiting all the schools across both
counties along with service providers
and nursing homes to inform others
about what to do when someone has
a seizure.
The agency also provides support
for people with epilepsy and their
families, offering information on
medication and helping to build a
support network.
For more information, call Epilep-
sy Huron -Perth at 1-877-427-0033.
You're Invited to a
FINANCIAL
TOWNHALL M
Speakers:
Leonard Lobb: Investment Advisor
IPC Securities Corporation
"Investing for income"
Jeff Hobson: Vice -President, CI Investments
"Market Influences, Pitfalls and
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Open discussion is encouraged!
• THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009, 7-9pm
Goderich Township Hall, Holmesville
Please RSVP: 519-482-8887 or 877-502-8887
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Hosted by Leonard Lobb CFP, FMA
Investment Advisor
IPC Securities Corporation
410 James Street, Clinton
"Paid in part by CI Investments"
Investment
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IPC SECURITIES CORPORATION
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