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When: Monday, November 15th 2010 7:00 p.m. Where: Mansfield Health Education Center at St. Vincent Healthcare 2900 12th Ave N, Ste 30W, Billings, MT What: Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. It’s also called a seizure disorder. When a person has two or more seizures, they are considered to have epilepsy.  A seizure happens when a brief, strong surge of electrical activity affects part or all of the brain. One in 10 adults will have a seizure sometime during their life. Seizures can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. They can have many symptoms, from convulsions and loss of consciousness to some that are not always recognized as seizures by the person experiencing them or by health care professionals: blank staring, lip smacking, or jerking movements of arms and legs.  

Click here to download the full flyer for this event (PDF) When: September 8, 2011 12:00pm - 1:00pm Where: St. Vincent Healthcare Mansfield Health Education Center - Room 7 Billings, MT Target Audience: Primary Care Providers to include but not limited to: Family Practice, Pediatrics, Emergency Department physicians, Physician assistants, Nurse practitioners, Advanced practice nurses, Registered nurses, And all other healthcare providers of pediatric/adolescent patients Series Objectives: At the end of this RSS, participants should be able to: Differentiate between types of seizures, spells and spasms in children Recognize infantile spasms and absence seizures Utilize appropriate imaging and lab work for the diagnosis, treatment and management of seizures, spells and spasms in children Manage status epilepticus emergently Initiate referral of children to a pediatric neurologist as appropriate Lecture Specific Objectives: At the end of this RSS, participants should be able to: Develop a differential diagnosis of seizure-like episodes. Identify clinical features of psychogenic non-epileptic events. Appropriately manage non-epileptic events. If you would like to attend via videoconference contact: St. Vincent Healthcare University at 406.237.3348 or email svhu@svh-mt.org.  Reservations for videoconferencing must be made at least 24 hours prior to live activity.

Part I: What Families & Caregivers Need to Know About Managing Seizures May 11, Tuesday – 5:00-7:30 PM MDT Part II: DIASTAT as Treatment for Acute Seizures July 20, Tuesday, 5:00-7:30 PM MDT Who Should Attend:  Families and Caregivers; Physicians; Nurses; Educators and School Administrators; Allied Health Care Professionals; Institutions Serving the ID/DD Population: State and privately-held facilities, Military Healthcare personnel.

Part II Seminar Coverage: How to Beat Bad Seizures Including a discussion of chronic AED meds and Diastat; Discussing DIASTAT with your doctor; Use of DIASTAT in various settings as school, work, vacation, etc.; Summer travel, summer camp, returning to school, and having Diastat on hand for these situation; Case studies; Review of various state laws relating to which professionals can administer DIASTAT. Who Should Attend: Families and Caregivers; Physicians; Nurses; Educators and School Administrators; Allied Health Care Professionals; Institutions Serving the ID/DD Population: State and privately-held facilities, Military Healthcare personnel.

Click here to download the flyer (PDF) A time for you to learn and ask your questions: What exactly is epilepsy and how it differs from seizures What to do in the event of a seizure and when to call 9-1-1 Understand basic seizure triggers Living life and the management of seizures    Presented by: Pat Berry, ARNP Pediatric Neurology Nurse Practitioner Seattle Children’s When: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 7pm (Mountain Time) Where: Mansfield Health Education Center 1145 North 30th Located in the Lower Level of the Yellowstone Medical Building WestEach session will include an interactive opportunity for questions and answers with open table discussion. To reserve your spot or find the videoconferencing location in your area contact: St. Vincent University at 406-237-ED4U (406-237-3348) or email svhu@svh-mt.org

It is estimated that as many as 1/3 of individuals with autism spectrum disorder also have epilepsy. Epilepsy is a brain disorder marked by recurring seizures, or convulsions. Experts propose that some of the brain abnormalities that are associated with autism may contribute to seizures. These abnormalities can cause changes in brain activity by disrupting neurons in the brain. Neurons are cells that process and transmit information and send signals to the rest of the body. So overloads or disturbances in the activity of these neurons can result in imbalances that cause seizures. 

My son Ian had a lack of oxygen to his brain at 9 weeks of age and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. Perhaps it was caused by a seizure, perhaps a near-SIDS incident, but we are not sure of the cause. He had a resulting brain injury, with “other developmental disabilities” of autism, blindness, communication impairment, severe cognitive impairment, seizure disorder, and other issues. The brain injury was in 1989, so he is now 23 years old. As you can imagine, this incident devastated our family, at first mostly because we had no clue what to do, what it meant for any of us, how to help him grow, and how much it would change our lives.

A time for you to learn and ask your questions: What we hope medications will do How medications are selected, side effects Importance of taking medication regularly Recognition and avoidance of triggers Presented by:Pat Berry, ARNPPediatric Neurology Nurse PractitionerSeattle Children’s Where: Mansfield Health Education Center 1145 North 30th Located in the Lower Level of the Yellowstone Medical Building West When: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 7pm (Mountain Time) Each session will include an interactive opportunity as well as an opportunity for questions and answers with open table discussions. To reserve your spot or find the videoconferencing location in your area contact: St. Vincent University at 406-237-ED4U (406-237-3348) or email svhu@svh-mt.org

Visit My Resource Kit and use the following tools to help you develop your seizure plan. Stop back frequently - we’ll be adding more over time.

More than 3 million people in the U.S. have some form of epilepsy. While seizures come in various forms, those with epilepsy cope with similar issues: social stigma, complex treatment options and a feeling of powerlessness. Eight men, women and children discuss what it's like to live with epilepsy.

As the warm weather arrives, are you ready for summer camp? Children and adults of all ages may want to attend camp or summer programs. When people have seizures or other neurological problems, you will want to look carefully at the types of programs and the setting in relation to the person’s epilepsy. Can the camp manage seizures and safety appropriately?

Children of any age with neurologic conditions are more likely to become very sick if they get the flu. Complications may vary and can include pneumonia and even death.Neurologic conditions can include:Disorders of the brain and spinal cordCerebral palsyEpilepsy (seizure disorders)StrokeIntellectual disabilityModerate to severe developmental delayMuscular dystrophySpinal cord injurySome children with neurologic conditions may have trouble with muscle function, lung function or difficulty coughing, swallowing, or clearing fluids from their airways. These problems can make flu symptoms worse.

When Medicaid twice denied a SleepSafe Bed for Mikayla Wisher, her family, friends, community and many strangers stepped up. Mikayla Wisher is a 21-year-old Kalispell woman who can neither speak nor walk and who suffers multiple seizures and uncontrolled movement, Sabrina Wisher, Mikayla’s mom, said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love . “Strangers [have been] coming up to me and giving me hundreds of dollars,” she said. “The community and my family and friends have been huge.”

"Ten Employment Myths" Many employers misunderstand the Americans with Disabilities Act and are reluctant to hire people with disabilities because of unfounded myths. This seventeen-minute video responds to concerns expressed by employers, explaining the ADA in common sense terms and dispelling myths about this often overlooked pool of well-qualified employees.

"My Country" In this one-hour documentary, symphony conductor James DePreist, who contracted polio as a young man, profiles three people with disabilities whose lives have been shaped by the struggle for equal rights. Mr. DePreist is the nephew of African American contralto Marian Anderson, who in 1939 was prevented from singing at Constitution Hall. He draws parallels between racial barriers and the barriers faced by people with disabilities.

Ten Small Business Mistakes This thirteen-minute video identifies common mistakes that small businesses make when trying to comply with the ADA and addresses the importance and value of doing business with 50 million people with disabilities. The video features statements by store owners expressing their doubts or misunderstandings about the ADA followed by responses from the Assistant Attorney for Civil Rights and other Department of Justice employees explaining the law in common sense terms.

Click here to register for this webinar What: The Representational Portfolio was originally developed as a marketing tool for job developers to represent job seekers to employers. Portfolios are also used by youth to introduce themselves at their IEP meetings and to develop self-advocacy skills. During this webinar, you will learn how Portfolios can be an important piece of the health care transition for young adults. Through a Portfolio's concise text and photos, individuals with disabilities can describe the impact of their disability; list current medications and side effects they are experiencing; discuss seizures (what type, how often, etc.); introduce and explain medical equipment; share information about helpful accommodations and supports; and articulate what they want and need from their medical provider. Younger children can use Portfolios to learn to describe their own health care needs at an early age. Presenters will also share links to health care transition resources such as toolkits, web sites, and iPad apps that attendees may wish to explore. When: Tuesday, September 20. 2011 1:00pm - 2:30pm Mountain