Fits and Fears

The study, published in the journal Neurology, examined the medical records of 247 epilepsy patients who were followed for an average of 10 years. It found that only 39 of them suffered seizure-related injuries and that most of them were minor, usually bruises to the head.

The bulk of the injuries occurred among people with the most serious cases8212;those with uncontrolled seizures, with generalized convulsions or drop attacks, or those who had suffered injuries in falls in the past, according to one of the authors, Dr Elson So of the Mayo Clinic. Frequency of seizures was the strongest predictor of injury, he said.

So said that being too cautious carried its own risks, possibly resulting in 8220;social isolation, physical inactivity and psychological dependency.8221;

He advises people with epilepsy outside the high-risk category to take basic safety measures like wearing helmets while biking. They may also consider supervision for more dangerous activities.

Those at higher risk should work with their doctors to bring their seizures under tight control, he said. They should avoid driving and stress, and modify their homes to reduce risk of injury, he added.

New York Times News Service