Local family learns to appreciate small things while coping with epilepsy

Elizabeth Chavez says her pregnancy was filled with hope.

"For me, the nine months of waiting for my baby went by without incident. I awaited the birth of my son with the same anticipation as all women," Chavez said.

"Nothing prepared me for the news I received three months after his birth. I didn't understand why. He had be born healthy at 10 pounds 10 ounces."

Chavez's baby was diagnosed with epilepsy and mild cerebral palsy.

"At the beginning, we did not notice anything, but soon after, I began to notice that his lips would turn purple," Chavez said.

Doctors began a series of tests, including an electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures the electrical impulses of the brain. It revealed that the left side of his brain was not functioning correctly.

Chavez is not alone, according to statistics provided by the Epilepsy Foundation. In the United States, among the almost 3 million people with epilepsy, 300,000 are children under the age of 15.

Today, Chavez's son, Jacob, is 5 years old and living an almost normal life. But his care has not been an easy job for his mother.

"When he was 3, all the tests were redone ... They also did a MRI, that is when the doctor told me that the left side of his brain was smaller than the right, that was the cause of his epilepsy," she said.

"To find the adequate treatment for him took a long time because some of the medicines made him very drowsy. He would lose his balance and had trouble coordinating his movements."

Jacob, like any child his age, goes to preschool, but he has to have physical and speech therapy as well as his medications.

"During Jacob's first few years, it was very difficult, I never showed him my frustration or my inability to help him," Chavez said. "I was strong in front of him, but when I was in my bedroom or the bathroom, I would cry.

"For me, my son has been a blessing from God. Thanks to him I have learned to appreciate the small things in life. He showed me how to live life different, more positive."

She said that Jacob is her motivation and does not allow small problems to bother her.

"I am very optimistic, I am educating him in a normal way, and the neurologist tells me that he is getting better, although he reminds me that every case is different," she said.

According to the foundation, epilepsy is a physical condition that occurs when sudden repeated minimal changes occur in the brain's electrical function.

When the brain cells do not function adequately, a sudden brief change occurs in consciousness of a person's movements or actions. These physical changes are called epileptic seizures.

According to statistics, epilepsy does not discriminate. It affects persons of all ages, nationalities and races.

For half of the cases, it is impossible to find the cause. In the other half, the cause can be anything that alters the way the brain functions.

For example, bumps, physical trauma to the head or lack of oxygen at the time of birth can affect the delicate electrical brain system. Other possibilities of causes are cerebral tumors, genetic disorders, lead intoxications, cerebral malformations and such illnesses as encephalitis, meningitis or even severe cases of measles.

Epilepsy can occur at any moment in a person's life. However, three-quarters of the 100,000 cases that appear annually occur in children during infancy.

According to the physicians, if you suspect an epileptic disorder, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Keep a journal of frequency of occurrences, the time and symptoms.

Some types of epilepsy are hereditary. Epilepsy is not just an illness, it is a group of disturbances that can cause epileptic seizures.

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. Doctors are recommending if you have one of the symptoms or you suspect you do, consult your physician.

Chavez said she would not have been able to do this without the support of her family, specifically her mother and all the people who have supported her throughout these five years.

Although in the beginning her medical coverage covered most of the medical cost, currently Chavez receives help from the Children's Health Services at Yuma Regional Medical Center, where Jacob receives free therapy services, orthopedic and neurologist services from a physician who comes from Phoenix.


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• Children's Health Services, 336-7795.
• www.epilepsy foundation.org or call toll free at 1-800-332-1000.
• Epilepsy Foundation Arizona
P.O. Box 25084
Phoenix, Ariz. 85002-5084
1-602-406-3581
1-888-768-2690 toll free