International Epilepsy Day 2024: Theme, Date, Significance, History

International Epilepsy Day is celebrated every year on the second Monday of February by people all over the world. The aim of this special day is to raise awareness of epilepsy and how it can be treated.

It also focuses on what is needed to bring treatment to all people who need it and other related area of action such as availability of medicines and research, ability of specialists to diagnose it, social care response and much more.

The day is a joint initiative of the International Bureau for Epilepsy and the International League Against Epilepsy.

International Epilepsy Day 2024 Date

Below mentioned are the upcoming dates for International Epilepsy Day for the next 5 years.

International Epilepsy Day 2024 Overview

International Epilepsy Day Significance

More than epilepsy, it is the stigma related to this disease that makes it more difficult than it actually can be. There is no doubt that epilepsy affect almost every aspect of the person’s life, but with proper knowledge about it, it can be made easier to deal with.

With stigma removed or even reduced for now, people would be more encouraged to seek treatment. In light of this, International Epilepsy Day 2024 will focus on the stigma people living with epilepsy face around the world.

Check special days in February

About Epilepsy

In our brains, electrical activity is happening all the time and when a sudden burst of intense electrical activity occurs, a seizure happens. It is often referred as an epileptic activity. In simple terms, to have epilepsy is to have a tendency to have recurring seizures. 

There are different types of epilepsy, some occurs at a young age while others in later life. The reason behind it is also not clear many times and can be because of brain damage caused by a difficult birth, stroke, blow to the head or very occasionally brain tumor.

Treatment:

normally, epilepsy is treated with medicines, known as anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). These medicine reduces seizures or stop them from happening. In case the medicines do not work, there are other treatments available too, such as:

• Brain surgery
• Deep brain stimulation
• Vagus nerve stimulation
• Trigeminal nerve stimulation
• The ketogenic diet

History of International Epilepsy Day

International Epilepsy Day was established in 2015 by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). The need was felt for a platform where people with epilepsy can share their experiences and stories with audiences across the world and thus the day was born.

The first International Epilepsy Day was observed on Monday, February 9, 2015. There are many other days also observed in February month.

How to celebrate International Epilepsy Day 2024?

this year the International Epilepsy Day will focus on reducing the stigma related to this disease and the celebrations will be carried in accordance with it. People are invited on this day to share their stories of facing stigma as a person with epilepsy or a carer for someone who has epilepsy.

Educating people about epilepsy can also help eliminate myths and help in reducing stigma. Taking social media as a platform, you can share messages dispelling the stigmas and help spread awareness of epilepsy. Many government and non-government organizations organize events, seminars, workshops, etc to celebrate this day.

Important Things to Keep In Mind

Listed below are certain important information related to epilepsy that everyone must know. Having basic knowledge about epilepsy can help eliminate the myths and give a clear picture of how to manage the condition.

1. You should never force anything into the mouth of a person having a seizure.
2. Also, never restrain someone having a seizure and wait for them to end on their own.
3. Anyone can develop epilepsy and it is not contagious.
4. Most people with epilepsy can perform all the works that people without epilepsy can do.
5. Epilepsy is not rare and can occur as a single condition or with others affecting the brain.
6. While death in epilepsy doesn’t happen frequently, it is one of the serious cause of death.
7. Atleast 1 million people in the United States have uncontrolled epilepsy.

Frequently Asked Questions