Epileptics not finding way to treatment centres, says MP
Specialised treatment centres for people with epilepsy are little used, according to federal MP Yoleen Van Camp, a medical doctor who would like the government to improve the situation
‘Early intervention crucial’
About 60,000 people in Belgian have epilepsy, according to Van Camp, who is a medical doctor. She said that the neurological disorder leads to stigmatisation, limited social activity, anxiety, learning deficits and exclusion from the labour market.
She wants an improved system of registration for epileptics and a record of interventions and success rates. Early treatment is crucial, she said, as it influences levels of success at school and on the job market.
In one in three cases, medication used to help prevent seizures – which range from uncontrollable jerking of the limbs to unconsciousness – provides little to no relief. In that case, patients can consult specialised departments in UZ Leuven or UZ Gent, or in Saint-Luc or Erasmus in Brussels.
But since these departments were established in 2009, only about 10% of epileptic patients have used them. “Information about and guidance towards these centres must be improved,” said Van Camp.
Photo: Chris Hope/Wikimedia
