Epilepsy Awareness Day at Disney Registration

Event Details

Event Name
Epilepsy Awareness Day at Walt Disney World®

Date
April 25-26, 2026

Location
Orlando
Walt Disney World® Contemporary Resort

Host Organization
Epilepsy Alliance Florida

Participating Organization
Epilepsy Services of New Jersey

Eligibility Criteria:

For the kids with CAE we are looking for:

Seizure Onset: Between 4-12
Absence seizures: Multiple per day at onset
Abrupt Onset and Offset:
- No Aura: The child has no warning before the seizure.
- No Post-Ictal State: There is no confusion or drowsiness afterward; the child resumes activity immediately. This distinguishes CAE from Focal Impaired Awareness seizures (which usually cause post-seizure confusion).
Brief Duration: Events are very short, typically lasting 5 to 30 sec
Normal Development: Children with CAE typically have normal neurological and cognitive development, distinguishing it from epileptic encephalopathies like Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.

Healthy Controls: We are looking for caregivers of children age 4-12 with minimal exposure to epilepsy (avoiding children with sibling with epilepsy for example).

Hyperventilation (HV) Contraindications:

Sickle Cell Disease/Trait: High risk of inducing a sickle cell crisis or stroke.
Moyamoya Disease: Risk of ischemic stroke due to constriction of already fragile vessels.
Recent Stroke or TIA: Any history of stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack within the last 12 months.
Intracranial Hemorrhage: Recent bleeding within the skull (e.g., subarachnoid hemorrhage).
Severe Cardiopulmonary Disease: Recent heart attack, unstable angina, or severe lung disease requiring oxygen.
Pregnancy: To avoid potential fetal distress (often avoided entirely).
Uncontrolled Hypertension: Severe high blood pressure.
Severe Asthma: Risk of triggering an attack due to rapid, dry breathing.

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