The epilepsy incidence in the handicapped is disturbingly high and accounts for nearly one quarter of all epilepsy cases.

Around 25-30 percent of all handicapped persons and more than 70 percent of the severely handicapped have epilepsy.

Epilepsy has a significant impact on the lives of handicapped persons and both the family, institutions, and staff must be able to provide both social and medical/therapeutic support.

Therefore, the personnel working with the handicapped in residential arrangements or institutions come very close to the problems. They witness the attacks, observe the medication effects and side effects and last not least have to take action when seizures occur.

It may give rise to many questions - and frustrations - to have to deal with epilepsy in the handicapped.

Is it an epileptic seizure, or is it a psychological behavior which occurs in the given situation? What type of epileptic seizure is it? How best to aid and support the handicapped in the concrete situation? How to inform and support the patients family and how to be an effective and loyal support for the handicapped are all important and demanding question for the persons taking care of the handicapped.

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