Re:This Startup is solving epilepsy with biosensors and AI
by jvolkman on Monday April 05, 2021 @02:06PM
(#26702384)
This product says it detects (doesn't prevent) tonic-clonic seizures. Epilepsy covers such a wide array of conditions. Tonic-clonics are the type of seizure that people envision when they think about seizures (unconscious on the ground convulsing), but there are so many other types - absence seizures, for instance, result in a person appearing to just stare off into space. There are many products that aim to detect tonic-clonic seizures.
My almost 7 year old was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy at age 3.5. It's luckily mostly controlled at the moment with a 3:1 keto diet and a cocktail of drugs, but it's been a long few years. We've dealt with many, many tonic-clonics over those years, as well as other types. By far the most common for us (dozens or more per day at times) has been myoclonic seizures, resulting in a sudden jerk of some muscle. This might result suddenly dropping whatever you're grasping in your hand, or suddenly ending up with a wet shirt after the liquid you just drank falls back out of your mouth. But the worst by far have been the atonic seizures - complete loss of muscle tone and consciousness for a brief moment resulting in a standing person falling face-first in to the pavement with no protective reflexes. It's hard to describe the feeling of helplessness as a parent when this happens to your child.
Anyway, mostly venting. It's nice to see any acknowledgment of epilepsy in more general outlets. Not sure I'd consider this solving epilepsy, though.
My almost 7 year old was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy at age 3.5. It's luckily mostly controlled at the moment with a 3:1 keto diet and a cocktail of drugs, but it's been a long few years. We've dealt with many, many tonic-clonics over those years, as well as other types. By far the most common for us (dozens or more per day at times) has been myoclonic seizures, resulting in a sudden jerk of some muscle. This might result suddenly dropping whatever you're grasping in your hand, or suddenly ending up with a wet shirt after the liquid you just drank falls back out of your mouth. But the worst by far have been the atonic seizures - complete loss of muscle tone and consciousness for a brief moment resulting in a standing person falling face-first in to the pavement with no protective reflexes. It's hard to describe the feeling of helplessness as a parent when this happens to your child.
Anyway, mostly venting. It's nice to see any acknowledgment of epilepsy in more general outlets. Not sure I'd consider this solving epilepsy, though.