In a bold move, Epilepsy SA is urging epileptic drivers to get examined on a regular basis by proper neurologists as a means of helping to prevent them from having seizures while driving.

This urging came on the heels of an accident that occurred after a six-month-old baby died when a metro police officer was reported to have had a seizure while driving. That seizure allegedly caused him to hit the mother and her baby — who was sitting on her back — in Meadowlands, Soweto.

“Epilepsy South Africa believes that the decision on whether or not someone with epilepsy should be allowed to drive should be at the sole discretion of the patient’s neurologist,” ESA said.

Epileptics having seizures is a recognized problem that affects both drivers and pedestrians near them. In fact, the SA National Road Traffic Act says that you are not allowed to drive at all if you have uncontrolled epilepsy. Uncontrolled epilepsy means that you have spontaneous episodes and fits, which naturally makes the epileptic a driving risk to their passengers and pedestrians. The decision that was made by the SA National Road Traffic Act about epileptic drivers was based on how serious the patient’s epilepsy is and the severity of the seizures themselves.

Of course, how patients control their seizures is just as important since there are so many potential treatments out there that work differently with each patient.

One example of an epileptic treatment that is popular is the anti-seizure medication Topamax. While Topamax has been proven to work, the drug has been linked to birth defects in babies born to mothers who use the drug while pregnant. Some of those birth defects include PPHN, oral clefts, neural tube defects and spina bifida.

If your baby was born with birth defects after in-utero exposure to Topamax, contact attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting Topamax lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your child’s injuries.