Researchers found they were better able to identify epilepsy types using information from the home videos than by using medical history descriptions.Published in Epilepsy Research, the study concludes that home videos are more reliable in picking up signs and classifying epilepsy type than history provided by caregivers of people with epilepsy.
Read Article for Tips for Filming Seizures
Photographer Tom Bradley spent several months in Sierra Leone, documenting epilepsy through photography and film for Medical Assistance Sierra Leone. He offers some advice on filming seizures with a mobile phone:
If someone has a seizure and you’re the only person there, then of course their safety and well-being takes priority. Give them whatever help they need first. Hopefully you won’t be the only person present. If the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, or if you are concerned, call an ambulance.
If you are free to use the camera, start videoing straight away. It is important to video as much of the seizure as possible, from start to finish. You never know what information may be useful to
an epilepsy expert.
Try and get the whole person inside the frame of the camera, to capture whether there is posturing or jerking of arms or legs, but don’t stand too far back. If the person’s eyes are open or closed, or moving, you should try to capture this too.
You might be able to record sounds the person makes such as heavy breathing. Also, ask questions, and record how, whether and when the person starts to respond.
Try and record the seizure from
a couple of angles. Though it may feel voyeuristic, these videos are providing useful information.
If you believe there is something that triggered the seizure, try and film that too. This should be done after the seizure has finished and the person is no longer in the room.
