The term "epilepsy" describes a common neurological condition that affects about 300,000 Canadians. Being able to recognize seizures is important because they can sometimes be mistaken for something else.

For example, the convulsion that a generalized tonic-clonic seizure causes may look like a heart attack and CPR may be used unnecessarily.

A person who appears drunk or high on illegal drugs and is carrying phenobarbitol (an anticonvulsant drug) may actually be having a seizure.

Seizures happen when a surge of electrical energy passes between cells in a person's brain. This sudden overload may stay in just one small area of the brain or it could swamp the whole system. This changes behaviour, affects consciousness and causes unusual body movements.

About one person in 100 has epilepsy, the cause of which is unknown in 75 percent of the children who have it and half of the adults. This condition is not contagious at any age.

What different seizures look like depends on which part of the brain was involved and how much of the total brain area was affected.

Since the effects of seizures vary, so does the way you need to react to them. The fold-out section of this pamphlet describes them in detail and how you should handle each type.

Posting this on a bulletin board will ensure that people who deal with the public can easily see it.

Although the chart inside this pamphlet describes basic first aid for a generalized tonic clonic (convulsive) seizure, some circumstances call for extra measures.

Remove the person as quickly as possible, while supporting the body and keeping the head tilted so that it and the face stay above the surface. Once on dry land, examine the person and begin artificial respiration immediately if he or she isn't breathing. The person should be taken to the emergency of a local hospital for a careful medical checkup, even if he or she appears to have fully recovered from the seizure. Ingesting water can cause heart or lung damage.

If possible, help the person lie across two or more seats with the head and body turned on one side. Once consciousness has been fully regained, help the person into a resting position in a single reclining seat.

If there aren't any empty places, recline the seat. Once the Seizure's rigidity phase has passed, turn the person gently in the seat so that he or she is leaning towards one side.

You can arrange pillows or blankets to protect the person's head from hitting unpadded areas of the plane, but make sure the person is sitting at an angle that keeps the airway clear and breathing unobstructed.

Lie the person across a double or triple seat, turn the person on the side and follow the same steps as indicated above. A person who has fully recovered from a seizure can stay on the bus until arriving at his or her destination.

If consciousness is regained before the ambulance arrives, the person should be asked if the seizure was associated with epilepsy and whether he or she wants to be brought to the hospital.

An uncomplicated convulsive seizure in someone with epilepsy isn't a medical emergency if it stops naturally after a few minutes without any ill effects. After resting, the average person can go about his or her business and many need only limited, if any, help in getting home.

Occasionally a seizure won't stop naturally, and several other medical conditions can be the cause. These include:

When seizures are continuous or any of these conditions exist, immediate medical attention is necessary.

Despite medical progress, epilepsy generally cannot be cured. But with regular daily use of anti-seizure drugs called anticonvulsant, seizures can be completely controlled or significantly reduced in most individuals.

People with epilepsy usually carry medication with them because they may have to take it up to four times a day. They risk having a seizure if they miss a scheduled dose.

The following are brand and generic names of drugs most commonly used to treat epilepsy:

People with epilepsy can be prescribed more than one drug. Depriving them access to their medication puts their health - even their life - at risk. If a police officer has any doubts whether or not the medication a person has is legal, he should immediately contact the doctor who prescribed the drug or the pharmacy which dispensed it.

When medication is taken away, for even as little as several hours, the following may happen:

Only a physician can diagnose epilepsy, yet many people miss the condition's more subtle signs. That prevents them from getting an early diagnosis and treatment. These symptoms listed below aren't necessarily indicators of epilepsy, since they may be caused by another unrelated condition. However, anyone who displays one or more of these symptoms should see a doctor.