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Is watching TV bad for epilepsy?
Background: Television as an external stimulation can precipitate epileptic seizures. Today this kind of epilepsy is known as television epilepsy. As children spend much of their time watching television, it is important to study this type of epilepsy in this age group.
Can watching TV trigger a seizures?
Television is the most common seizure stimulus, but any source of flickering light, such as light flickering through trees, can provoke a seizure. The slower the flicker, the more likely it is to cause seizures.
Can darkness cause seizures?
Photosensitive epilepsy is when seizures are triggered by flashing lights or contrasting light and dark patterns.
Does black light affect epilepsy?
The light-to-dark ratio or contrast of a light source may also play a role in causing or triggering a seizure. This juxtaposition of intensely bright light followed by a sharp decrease in brightness (or vice versa) can cause the brain to become overstimulated.
Can sunglasses help with seizures?
Some studies suggest that wearing polaroid sunglasses or blue-toned lenses may be effective at reducing the risk of seizures. These types of sunglasses can suppress the prevalence of flickering dot patterns, which can trigger a seizure in people with photosensitive epilepsy.
Can TV cause epilepsy seizures?
Those who have a family history of photosensitive epilepsy also face a higher risk. Television has been the most common cause behind the precipitation of photosensitive epilepsy. Sitting close to the TV or watching it in a dark room can be a seizure-provoking factor. TV monitors emit light in the form of flickers.
What is photosensitive epilepsy in children?
This is when seizures are triggered by certain rates of flashing lights or contrasting light and dark patterns. Photosensitive epilepsy is more common in children and young people (up to 5\%) and is less commonly diagnosed after the age of 20. What is photosensitive epilepsy?
How common is epilepsy in children under 14?
About 470,000 American children under the age of 14 have epilepsy. It affects children at different ages and in different ways. Early recognition and treatment are keys to the best possible outcome. For some, it will be a temporary problem, easily controlled with medication, outgrown after a few years.
Can staring at a bright light cause a seizure?
Staring at the alternating bright flashes that are emanated by strobe lights of ambulances or police vans can bring about a seizure. Bright lights projected over the screen in movie theaters which create a contrast with the dark surroundings, also cause photosensitive epilepsy.