Epilepsy is a disease affecting people from all walks of life and the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego is here to provide resources to best overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy.
Epilepsy is a generic term for a variety of seizure disorders characterized by chronic recurring seizures. It is not a disease, but a symptom of an underlying neurological disorder. A seizure is a disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain. Essentially brief temporary changes in the brain’s electrical system produce a sudden overload. This disturbance affects the brain’s normal functions and produces changes in a person’s movement, behavior or consciousness.
There are at least 30 types of seizures. More than 3.4 million people in the US and 50 million worldwide have some form of epilepsy. In San Diego County over 50,000 people have the condition. A large number of children and adults have undetected or untreated epilepsy.
One in every 10 Americans will have at least one seizure in their lives, though in most cases they do not actually develop epilepsy. Nonetheless about 150,000* cases of epilepsy are diagnosed every year.
The Epilepsy Education Conference is our annual summer event that brings together San Diego’s top epilepsy experts and those who have lived experience to speak on timely topics for the epilepsy community, such as new research, emerging technologies and treatment options, making informed decisions about care and medication, advocating for oneself, fostering autonomy and overall well-being.Â
The #MyEpilepsySDStory initiative provides a space for people impacted by epilepsy in San Diego to share their personal epilepsy journey and to see it alongside other stories from the community. Anyone who lives in San Diego County and is impacted by epilepsy is welcome to submit their story through our #MyEpilepsySDStory form.
The onset of epilepsy is most common in children and older adults, but the condition can occur at any age.
In about 50 percent of cases there is no known cause. Where a reason for the onset of seizures can be identified, the most frequent causes include:
The Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County works to improve the quality of life for those impacted by epilepsy. Our free services include:
Our wide array of programs and services serve people living with epilepsy, families, friends and caregivers.
All of our programs and services are offered at no-cost.
The Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the San Diego community since 1954.
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