Queensbury High School junior Kara Tougas knows what people should do if they are having a seizure.
“Make sure there’s nothing in their mouth. Don’t yell at them, move or shake them because it will make it last longer. If it lasts longer than 5 minutes, call 911,” she said.
As an epileptic herself, Tougas is familiar with the ins and outs of the condition, which is caused by nerve cells in the brain producing abnormal electrical impulses that often result in seizures.
More than 2 million Americans have epilepsy and more than 300,000 are under the age of 15, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, there are many people who do not know that much about it. Tougas hopes that will change through her advocacy efforts. She is traveling to Washington, D.C., later this month to participate in “Teens Speak Up,” a conference sponsored by the National Epilepsy Foundation.
