Monday, October 28, 2013

Free Community Lecture on Epilepsy

The Epilepsy Foundation of Alabama in conjunction with the University of South Alabama Neurosciences and SouthCEP will host a community lecture on Nov. 9, 2013, at 10 a.m. the University of South Alabama Medical Center. 
The lecture, titled “New Directions in Epilepsy Diagnosis and Treatment” will be given by Dr. Dean K. Naritoku, professor and chair of the USA department of neurology.
During his talk, Dr. Naritoku, who is a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy, will discuss the latest epilepsy treatments and research.
Immediately following the lecture, tours will be available of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) at USA Medical Center.  The EMU is a collaborative environment that provides unique and highly specialized care with state-of-the-art technology for patients with epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
November is national epilepsy awareness month, which seeks to dispel common myths about the disorder, promote public awareness and understanding of the condition, inform people with seizure disorders and their families about service programs and informational resources available nationally and in their local areas, as well as educate the public about the symptoms of epilepsy and seizure disorders to help eliminate the stigma unjustly associated with the condition.
According the Centers for Disease Control, epilepsy affects about 2 million people in the United States.  Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Delayed recognition of these seizures and inadequate treatment increases the risk for additional seizures, disability, decreased health-related quality of life and, in rare instances, death.
For more information, please contact David Toenes at 341-0170.