What a neurologist wants you to know about epilepsy
Seizures aren't always obvious—and we often don't know what causes them.
Jan, 2026
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About 3.4 million Americans have a seizure disorder, also known as epilepsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This number includes both adults and children, as the disorder can affect people very early in life.
Even if you have firsthand experience with epilepsy, you may still have questions about seizures, how the condition is diagnosed, and the ways it can be treated. Here are insights from Lee Dresser, MD, a neurologist in Wilmington, Delaware, about epilepsy.
Written byLoren DeVito, PhD.
Medically reviewed byMark Arredondo, MD.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epilepsy Basics. May 15 + 11
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epilepsy Basics. May 15, 2024.
- Epilepsy Foundation. What Is Epilepsy? Accessed May 6, 2025.
- Mayo Clinic. Epilepsy. October 14, 2023.
- Epilepsy Foundation. Atypical Absence Seizures. Accessed May 6, 2025.
- England MJ, Liverman CT, Schultz AM, Strawbridge LM. Summary: a reprint from epilepsy across the spectrum: promoting health and understanding. Epilepsy Curr. 2012;12(6):245-253.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epilepsy: Types of Seizures. May 15, 2024.
- National Health Service (UK). Epilepsy. March 6, 2025.
- Epilepsy Foundation. Types of Seizures. Accessed May 6, 2025.
- Whelan CD, Altmann A, Botía JA, Jahanshad N, et al. Structural brain abnormalities in the common epilepsies assessed in a worldwide ENIGMA study. Brain. 2018 Feb 1;141(2):391-408.
- Epilepsy Society. List of anti-seizure medication. September 2024.
- Epilepsy Foundation. Adapting First Aid Plans. January 2022.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epilepsy: First Aid for Seizures. May 15, 2024.
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