Understanding Epilepsy

by Neil Buchanan

Written for people with epilepsy, their families, doctors and teachers, UNDERSTANDING EPILEPSY casts light on a rather mysterious condition, and in the process helps people to come to terms with it. This new edition of UNDERSTANDING EPILEPSY answers all the vital medical questions, What is epilepsy? What causes it? What are the different types of epilepsy? What are the different types of seizures? How is epilepsy diagnosed? How can it be managed? How does it affect older people, children and disabled people? What sorts of activities should a person with epilepsy avoid? But this book goes beyond the medical facts to discuss the social implications of epilepsy. UNDERSTANDING EPILEPSY takes a frank and sympathetic look at the condition that can often make people feel discriminated against, or stigmatised. Most importantly, it discusses the advantages of openly acknowledging the condition - how this leads to acceptance on the part of the affected individual and possibly more tolerance from the general public.

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2003

About the author

Neil Buchanan is an English artist, photographer, and musician, widely recognized for his influential work in children's television. He is best known as the creator and presenter of the long-running CITV series Art Attack, which he fronted from its debut in 1990 until 2007. The show, known for its imaginative and accessible approach to art, earned two BAFTA awards and became a staple of British childhood entertainment. Buchanan also hosted several other popular children's programs, including Finders Keepers, It's a Mystery, and ZZZap!, which he also co-produced.
Before his television career, Buchanan was a member of the heavy metal band Marseille, part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. The band toured extensively and shared stages with acts such as Judas Priest and Whitesnake. He briefly returned to music when Marseille reformed in 2009, but later stepped away to focus on consultancy work in children's media.
Buchanan began his television career on No. 73 in the early 1980s and went on to become a familiar face on Saturday morning TV, later appearing on Motormouth, Animal Crazy, and The CITV Awards. In 2000, he sold the rights to Art Attack in a major deal with Britt Allcroft (later Gullane Entertainment).
In 2020, Buchanan made headlines when he publicly denied online rumors claiming he was the elusive street artist Banksy. While no longer active in front of the camera, his legacy as an innovative and beloved figure in British children's television remains enduring.