Also part of the mythology, many people still believe that epilepsy and seizures are always devastating, that they will continue to recur, that they will get worse, that the brain will be damaged, and that their child might be handicapped, become retarded, or even die. Now we know that only a small percentage of children who have a single seizure have a second seizure and, therefore, do not have epilepsy. We now know that most seizures in children can be controlled with medication, that most children outgrow their seizures and can be taken off medication. Only a minority of children with epilepsy will have difficult-to-control seizures. Most children with seizures are absolutely normal all or virtually all of the time, except during the seizure.
The mythology still persists because epilepsy remains a hidden condition. People see only the small percentage of children who are severely handicapped and who have seizures. The vast majority, whose seizures are well controlled and who function normally, do not advertise that they have epilepsy. If your neighbor’s child has seizures, is on medication and is doing well, you may never even know that he has epilepsy. Only if that child has a seizure when his friends are around do they become aware of his epilepsy. His friends’ parents may say, “I never knew he had epilepsy. He looks so normal!” “I thought that all children with epilepsy are retarded.” “The only child I knew with seizures was in a wheelchair and never went to school.” If we want to combat these old myths and prejudices, children with epilepsy and their families have to be far more comfortable and open about their disorder. Only then will the public understand that most people with epilepsy are just like themselves. Seeing only children who are disabled, you get the wrong impression. You may have no idea that most children who have epilepsy encounter no problem as a result of their seizures.
You can handicap your child if you continue to believe in the mythology. Most individuals with epilepsy can function normally, becoming exuberant children, vigorous adolescents, and productive adults who are free of seizures altogether. You will have to learn what protections are reasonable and realistic, and which restrictions will simply handicap your child. Avoiding overprotection will require that you understand not only seizures, but also your reaction to them, your child’s reaction, and the reactions of others. You need to work actively to prevent seizures from becoming a handicap. In most cases, you can succeed.
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Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that affects the endocrine system of the body and the use of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Specifically, there is not enough insulin available for the body’s needs. In some patients the islands of Langerhans of the pancreas do not produce enough insulin; in others the pancreas requires some stimulation to manufacture enough insulin; and in still others the insulin that is produced cannot, for some reason, be used by the tissues.
About 10 million persons in the United States have diabetes, although almost half of them are unaware that they are diabetic. Persons who have a family history of diabetes and who are overweight are more likely to have diabetes. It has been estimated that there are as many as 50 million persons who are diabetic carriers. Obviously, the campaigns to detect diabetes in the population should be vigorously supported. Two types of diabetes are recognized.
Non-insulin dependent diabetes, also known as maturity-onset or adult-type diabetes, accounts for most patients with the disease. About 80 per cent of all diabetics are 40 years of age or over. Of this group at least 90 per cent are obese. The disease is usually mild, stable, and can be regulated by diet alone or by diet and oral compounds. Complications are likely to develop if weight is not lost or hyperglycemia persists. These patients seldom have ketosis.
Insulin-dependent diabetes, also referred to as juvenile diabetes, accounts for about 20 per cent of all known cases of diabetes. The onset is sudden in children or young adults. The disease is also seen in adults of any age who are of normal weight or underweight. This type of diabetes is often severe, requires insulin and diet regulation to sustain life. There may be wide fluctuations between hypoglycemia and ketosis. Vascular changes are present in most patients and life expectancy is shortened.
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Atherosclerosis, the most common form of hardening of the arteries, refers to the thickening of the inner walls (intima) of the blood vessel. It is the most frequent cause of heart attacks and strokes. It can lead to aneurysm (dilation) of the abdominal aorta or gangrene of the leg.
Atherosclerosis develops gradually throughout life. In childhood fatty streaks appear in the inner lining of the blood vessel. These streaks do not lead to any clinical symptoms. In early adult years fatty materials and cholesterol continue to be deposited and are covered with thick fibrous layers of connective tissue. These deposits are known as atheroma, or plaques. The channel, through which the blood flows, becomes narrower, and it is increasingly difficult to supply enough blood to the tissues. In later years angina pectoris is a manifestation of this deficiency of blood (ischemia).
The plaques sometimes ulcerate and hemorrhage or the rough surfaces can initiate blood clotting. If the vessel is blocked by a clot, the tissue served by that vessel dies. Blocking of a coronary vessel, also known as a coronary occlusion, results in myocardial infarction; sudden death occurs if a principal vessel is affected. Occlusion of a vessel to the brain is a stroke (cerebral thrombosis), while blockage of a blood vessel in the leg leads to gangrene.

Risk factors
The three major factors that increase the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease are elevated blood lipids, hypertension, and cigarette smoking. Dietary factors, especially saturated fat and cholesterol, are associated with elevated blood lipids, while a high salt intake may be a factor in hypertension. Many other factors also increase the risks: (1) males between the ages of 45 and 64 years are highly susceptible; (2) a family history of heart and blood vessel disease; (3) tension, frustration, emotional stress, meeting deadlines, and drive to achieve; (4) sedentary occupation and lack of exercise; (5) obesity; and (6) diabetes mellitus. Even the relative softness of drinking water in some geographic areas has been listed by some research workers as a risk factor. There is considerable lack of agreement on the excessive consumption of coffee (more than 5 cups daily) as a risk factor.
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