Did you know that in Coimbatore, 57,000 people suffer from Epilepsy? The figures about Epilepsy in India are alarming. For instance, nearly 1.2 crore people in India are epileptic but only 60% people in urban region consult a doctor while just 10% in rural regions that go for a doctor. The awareness about Epilepsy and how to tackle it has become the need of the hour.
To promote the needed awareness, Abbott Laboratories facilitated a press meet recently and three eminent doctors; Dr.J.Karan Kumar, Associate Medical Director, Abbott Pharmaceuticals , Dr. T.C.R. Ramakrishnan, Pediatric Neurologist, KG Hospital and Dr. K. Vijayan, Neurologist, Royal Care Super specialty Hospital addressed the media.
Dr.J.Karan Kumar stated that out of the 1.2 crore epileptic patients in India, 80 lakhs are from the rural side and 8-% epileptics don’t take proper treatment. He also highlighted that 2.73 million women in India suffer from Epilepsy and 52% of them are in their reproductive stage. A child with epilepsy will still have that same cognitive, mental functioning like usual kids, men & women with epilepsy on the other hand can have normal marital bliss as well. . He said Epileptic children, men and women can lead a normal life despite the disorder and need not be worried about what the society believes to be true.
Dr.K.Vijayan, elucidated to the gathering about epilepsy in a simple fashion. He mentioned that the chances of woman with epilepsy transmitting their disorder to their fetus are very low. He also said that chances of the drugs taken during pregnancy affecting the child are also very low and such women after delivery, without fear, can breastfeed their child. He pointed out that seizures don’t last for more than 2 minutes and the usual practice of giving an iron rod and other traditional methods need to be avoided. Consulting doctors and taking medicines in the right time will be the best thing to do, he emphasized.
Dr. T.C.R. Ramakrishnan in his address said that a minimum 15,000 children in Coimbatore suffer from Epilepsy in Coimbatore. He pointed out the flaw all epileptics do – they stop taking medicines once they themselves feel they have got it under control which is a big mistake. He said parents need to convey their children’s teachers about their disorder so that they can take care of their children if an episode happens. He also advocated that these children have the right to education and the educational institutions shouldn’t refuse them their chance to achieve.