In advance of Infantile Spasms Awareness Week (1st -7th December) we would like to acknowledge the support of the 2024 Medtronic Mission Makers Grant Round.
Infantile Spasms is a rare but extremely serious type of epilepsy. The seizures often present in early childhood and can often be misdiagnosed due to how subtly they can present. The seizures can be overlooked as being reflux or colic – with the reality being that the seizures are a medical emergency. If the seizures remain untreated, it can cause severe and permanent damage to a child’s developing brain.
Throughout Infantile Spasms Awareness Week, we will be appealing to new and prospective parents – as we well as associated family members and health care professionals, to be aware of Infantile Spasms and the key message of STOP:
- See the signs
- Take a video
- Obtain diagnosis
- Prioritise Treatment
Medtronic Mission Makers has provided a grant of €2,000 to help amplify our message on social media, which will lead to increased awareness of this rare but extremely serious type of epilepsy.
Medtronic is a global leader in medical technology and has a well-established Irish presence since 1981 – employing over 4,000 people in Galway, Dublin and Athlone. The annual Mission Makers Grant Round helps support charities and patient organisations to raise awareness of specific health conditions - and we would like to thank them for their support for our activities around Infantile Spasms Awareness Week 2024.
We encourage all new and expectant parents to visit the ‘Infantile Spasms’ section of our website to learn more.
If you are interested in supporting our work, we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch with our Fundraising & Development Manager Cian Dikker by emailing cdikker@epilepsy.ie to discuss potential opportunities for collaboration.