Why do seizures occur?
Seizures are most common in young children and the elderly, but they can occur for the first time at any age. Sometimes it is easy to see the cause of a seizure. For example, a seizure may occur at the time of a bad head injury or brain infection. Seizures are occasionally caused by high fevers (especially in children), the use of certain drugs or excessive intake of alcohol. In other cases an injury or infection of the brain that happened a long time ago can cause a seizure. Seizures may also be brought on by significant stress or lack of sleep. These ‘triggers’ alone, however, do not explain why a seizure has occurred. After all, not everyone who is stressed or sleep-deprived will have a seizure. Tests are still needed to ensure that no other cause can be found. It appears that certain people are simply more prone to having seizures than others. This is, at times, described as having a ‘low-seizure threshold’ and may be due to an individual’s genetic makeup. In many cases, despite th
