The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Dispelling myths, learning facts of epilepsy

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Saturday, Apr 05, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Dispelling myths, learning facts of epilepsy

Staff Reporter

Bus drivers, conductors and MTC staff take part in session

CHENNAI: Thursday afternoon was a time for bus drivers, conductors and staff at Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s Mandaveli Depot to learn about the myths and facts of epilepsy from neurologist R. Lakshminarasimhan of Government Stanley Hospital.

Participating in a media campaign titled ‘Prajna’ on epilepsy, organised by the Department of Public Relations of Stella Maris College, he explained that all forms of epilepsy were curable with proper and prolonged medication or, if need be, through surgery. Epilepsy, he said, was neither hereditary nor communicable.Explaining what one must do when a person gets epileptic seizures, Dr. Lakshminarasimhan said the patient must be made to lie down on his/her side, must not be given any food or liquid as they would choke, must not be given any iron piece to hold. If the seizures continued for more than 5 minutes, the person must be taken to a hospital.

The students enacted a short play, read out poems and distributed questionnaires that sought information about the MTC employees’ knowledge of epilepsy, their attitude towards it and their perception.

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