SEIZE ALERT

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal causing seizures. About 60% of people with epilepsy have convulsive seizures which can prove to be dangerous due to SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) which affects 1 in 1000. Both convulsive and non-convulsive seizures can be dangerous as one could lose consciousness, risk of falling etc. With nearly 50 million people affected by epilepsy globally and no cure for the disorder Seize Alert aims to reduce response time for someone having a seizure. Seize Alert will be paired with a watch which will monitor the vital signs of the person wearing it and then determine the baseline of the vitals will send an alert to the emergency contacts of the person and emergency services. The alert will bare the location of the person. With this in place, many people with epilepsy do not have to fear SUDEP.

In Kenya alone, it is estimated that 800,000 people live with epilepsy. According to WHO (World Health Organization) there are 50 million people with epilepsy making it one of the most common neurological disorder. Around 70% of people could live seizure free if they received the right treatment and care. Due to stigma and lack of proper care most people aren't seizure free. A phenomenon, SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) accounts for 1 in 1000 deaths for people living with epilepsy. This phenomenon is not yet understood but there are theories that suggest that seizure activity stops the heart or affects breathing. SUDEP mostly occurs immediately after a seizure. A notable person who lost his life to SUDEP is Cameron Boyce. 

Additionally, patients react differently to different AEDs (anti epileptic drugs). With no systems in place to monitor side effects that patients have towards AEDs, it makes treatment of epilepsy more cumbersome. Doctors are not able to fully track the efficacy of a drug on a patient.

Due to factors such as memory loss in those living with epilepsy tracking whether they took medication can prove difficult. This makes it harder for someone to become seizure free.

Seize Alert aims at better care for those living with epilepsy by tracking their seizures. We aim to develop an application and a smart watch that has inbuilt sensors that would be able to detect a tonic-clonic seizure, a clonic seizure or an atonic seizure and immediately send an alert through the application on the patient's phone to their emergency contacts. The application and smart watch will have access to the GPS location of the patient. With this in place it makes it easier for them to receive help in time. We might not be able to prevent seizures all the time but we should ensure enough care is received in time to prevent SUDEP or status epilepticus which represents failure of seizure termination. 

In addition to this, the app would also require data such as what medication they use. The patient is able to log in what side effects they are experiencing from their medication.  It would also remind them to take their medication and to book appointments. The app will also need data such as  their menstrual cycle and sleep pattern to identify possible seizure triggers. This data can be synced with their health care provider.

It is estimated that there are 50 million people living with epilepsy globally. My solution aims to improve their quality of life. People who live with epilepsy are unable to get a driving license in many countries unless they are seizure free. There is also a lot of stigmatization towards those living with epilepsy. Many people who live with epilepsy fear dying while having a seizure. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of fourteen hence I understand the needs of my target population. Aside from that, I am involved in numerous online epilepsy support groups where we share the challenges that we go through on a daily basis. As I am developing this solution I try to think of ways many people with epilepsy would like their quality of life to improve. The solution addresses the fear of having a seizure when you are next to someone who understands the condition. The solution goes a step further by trying to identify possible seizure triggers which they can avoid. Aside from that, their primary healthcare providers can track whether their treatment option is working or not. The prompts to take medication prevents the risk of a seizure.

My solution targets the health security of those living with epilepsy. SUDEP is amongst us but it is preventable, the question is what measures are we taking to prevent SUDEP and status epilepticus? At the moment there is no cure for epilepsy but being able to track the progress of someone living with epilepsy, analyze the data and use the data to find a suitable treatment option increases the chances of someone living seizure free. The problem at hand has existed for centuries and it was in 1857 the first anti epileptic was introduced. 

My solution combines three ideas that are already in existence, that is a seizure diary, seizure sensor apps and community support. I believe my idea is innovative in the sense it gives the all in one experience, aside from that my solution aims to ensure that the data in use is sent to one’s primary care doctor helping us understand how the patient is fairing on. 

With the use of community of people who have seizures creates a feeling of It am not alone’ . It creates a sense of comfort and belonging, allowing people to converse on how epilepsy has affected their lives and different aspects of having epilepsy. 

My solution allows for people with epilepsy to live in less fear as they will get help in good time in case they have a seizure which reduces anxiety in people with epilepsy allowing them to live the lives they desire.

In the next year, my hope is that Seize Alert is an application that is accessible to many people living with epilepsy. This technology should have been able to prevent someone from going into status epilepticus which can be life costing. In the long run, Seize Alert should be able to ensure that people are on the treatment option, it should also give medics a better and deeper understanding of seizure triggers, the patterns of ones seizures and even evaluate whether one is a candidate for surgery such as VNS (vagus nerve stimulation) . Seize Alert should make people who live with epilepsy feel more independent. Aside from this we hope that the community within Seize Alert will remind the millions of people living with epilepsy they are not alone. With forums on the application that would be moderated by a medic, it will give hope to people with epilepsy. In the long run, after identifying seizure triggers we hope over 70% of the people who use Seize Alert will be seizure free.

Being a teenager who is into science is not enough for people to believe in you, it is also not enough for me to a market such an idea to potential investors. Considering the fact I am currently not doing neuroscience or pursuing an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or a bachelors in medicine and surgery (MBBS/ MBChB) I do not know the ins and outs of seizures and epilepsy. What I know is out of research and interest. Bearing in mind these facts it is hard to be taken seriously. Being female in a male dominated sector makes it worse as my solution combines technology and medicine.

In addition to this, I do not have the funds to run this. I have to develop prototypes for both the app and watch before a final product is released to the market, a product that will deliver what it promises. 

Another challenge that we may face is that some of our target audience may not be able to afford the product as nearly 80% of people with epilepsy live in low and middle income countries. They may be in need of this product but are unable to afford it.

Due to the fact that I am not trained, I plan to partner with neurologists to fully understand the mechanisms of a seizure in order to deliver a product that has a zero chance of giving a false warning. After much consulting with different neurologists here in Kenya, the idea is more than feasible. For my solution to work I will need to partner with software engineers, biomedical engineers, coders and neurologists. 

Albeit being a young female in a male-dominated field is scary, I have to question status quo in order to create room for young girls who aspire to enter technology or biotechnology. Aside from that I have to work with people who will discriminate me based on my gender or age. 

Majority of our target demographic live in low to middle income countries with this in mind, I believe creating a flexible payment program will allow for many people who live with epilepsy to access Seize Alert. Considering this is a medical device, we would urge medical insurances to pay for them. My hope is for people with epilepsy to live seizure free.