Entitled to Respect Campaign Aims to Educate Teens, Reduce Epilepsy Fears; Survey Finds Lack of Awareness, Knowledge of How to Help

11/1/2002

From: Peter Van Haverbeke of the Epilepsy Foundation, 301-918-3772; Brynn Barnett of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, 202-452-7807

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- One in 100 American teens has epilepsy (seizure disorder). Yet a survey by the Epilepsy Foundation revealed that more than two-thirds of teens (68 percent) said they would not know how to help if a friend or acquaintance had a seizure.(a)

So the Epilepsy Foundation has made seizure education the focal point of the second year of its Entitled to Respect public information campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of epilepsy among all teens and "tweens" (10-12 year olds), give them the knowledge to help in a seizure situation, and increase respect for kids with the disorder.

"A seizure in someone with epilepsy is usually not an emergency," says Martha J. Morrell, M.D., a leading clinical and research neurologist at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. "It will likely end in a minute or two and seldom requires a trip to the emergency room. But it's important to know basic seizure first aid." The recommended nine-step guide for dealing with a seizure is as follows:

-- Cushion the head, removing glasses if necessary -- Loosen tight clothing -- Turn the person on the side -- Time the seizure with a watch -- If longer than 5 minutes, call for medical help -- Do not put anything in the person's mouth -- Look for a medical I.D. -- Do not hold the person down -- As the seizure ends, offer help and comfort

One young man who knows the importance of having help ready is 17-year-old Alessandro Azzato of Los Angeles, Calif., who had his first seizure at the age of two. "I understand that, for a lot of kids, watching someone have convulsions is a scary thing -they want to turn away. But when they learn about epilepsy -- learn it isn't contagious, that lots of kids have to deal with it -- most kids I know are glad to help."

Youthful celebrities are among those willing to help spread the word that teens with epilepsy are Entitled to Respect. Ashton Kutcher, who stars as Kelso on the hit TV series That '70s Show has recorded public service announcements for the campaign this year, as has the young new music group Triple Image.

According to Linda K. Warner, chair of the Epilepsy Foundation's Board of Directors, "The willingness of young, highly successful entertainment figures to get involved in Entitled to Respect really shows how much the idea resonates. 'N Sync was kind enough to help us last year, and we're fortunate that Ashton Kutcher and Triple Image came aboard in 2002. As the parent of a teen with epilepsy, I know what a positive impact young stars can have on a teen audience. Kids will listen to what they have to say," Warner says.

What those celebrities are saying, buttressed by other Entitled to Respect communications and publications, is that respect is important to all teens, and that young people with epilepsy deserve it like anyone else. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, these are the four most important things teens and tweens should know about their peers who have the disorder:

-- They deal with their epilepsy and so can you -- It's not right to make fun or engage in name-calling -- Understand and accept that everyone is different -- Be a friend and show respect

"We have made enormous strides in the past several decades in the medical treatment of epilepsy," says Dr. Morrell. "But science doesn't have the power to change people's attitudes. That's what's so important about the Entitled to Respect campaign. By reaching kids as young as 10 years old and showing them that epilepsy is purely and simply a medical condition, we can build understanding among young people, and make life much easier for teens with epilepsy."

In addition to the national campaign, the Epilepsy Foundation will be conducting a variety of educational activities in local communities beginning in November, National Epilepsy Month.

For more information on epilepsy or the Entitled to Respect campaign, contact the Epilepsy Foundation at 800-332-1000. More information about teens and epilepsy is available on the Entitled to Respect Web site, http://www.entitledtorespect.org.

The Epilepsy Foundation, with national offices in metropolitan Washington, D.C., and a network of 60 affiliates throughout the nation, is a non-profit volunteer organization devoted to research for the cure, education, advocacy, and the provision of services in the community for people with seizure disorders and their families.

Note (a): Survey results are based on a multiple-question survey collected from 19,441 teens in select schools nationally by 20 affiliates of the Epilepsy Foundation from March 2001 through July 2001. The margin of error for this study (at the 95 percent confidence level) is plus or minus approximately 1 percent. The survey was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.