PURPLE DAY observed at DMCH

Ludhiana, March 26, 2013: To raise awareness about epilepsy, Purple Day was observed today at DMCH, Ludhiana by organising public education lecture on epilepsy. Celebrations were attended by the members of Epilepsy team of DMCH.
Purple Day for Epilepsy is celebrated each year on March 26 to reduce stigma associated with epilepsy and to educate the public and to create awareness not to fear epilepsy. On this day, people all over the world are invited to wear purple and events are hosted in support of epilepsy awareness.
Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide or approximately 1 in 100 people. For more than half of people with epilepsy, medication normally controls their seizures and for 10-15% of people with epilepsy, the surgical removal of the part of brain where the person’s seizures start, can eliminate all seizure activity.Dr Gagandeep Singh and Dr Jatinder Goraya delivered lectures on the occasion. Public education material on eplilesy   was also ditributed among the patients & their attendants present in OPD block
In case of children, whose seizures do not respond to several different seizure medicines, alternative form of treatment includes the ‘Ketogenic Diet’. The ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that is prescribed by a neurologist and carefully monitored by a dietitian.
In their address to the audience, the doctors strongly advocated that Epilepsy is neither contagious nor a psychological disorder.
Some common seizure triggers include:
•    Lack of sleep
•    Missing meals
•    Stress, excitement, emotional upset
•    Flickering lights of computers, television, videos, etc., and sometimes even bright sunlight
•    Excessive alcohol consumption