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Epilepsy is not a form of mental retardation or mental illness.
Although a few forms of childhood epilepsy are associated with below-average intelligence and problems with physical and mental development, epilepsy does not cause these problems. Seizures may look scary or strange, but they do not make a person crazy, violent, or dangerous.

WHAT CAUSES EPILEPSY ?

In the vast majority of cases (70%) there is no known cause of epilepsy. Of the remaining cases (30%) the cause can be traced to one or more of the following factors:

• Head injury- People who sustain a major or minor head injury as a result of an automobile accident, sports injury, fall, or act of violence may develop epilepsy. Epilepsy may begin immediately after an injury, or it may take many years to develop.
• Birth Trauma- Infants who suffer a lack of oxygen during development or the birthing process may suffer damage to the brain.
• Poisoning- Lead poisoning has been associated with the development of epilepsy. Likewise, more than 5,000 people each year are reported to develop seizures caused by alcoholism.
• Infection-  Infections that can affect the brain like meningitis, viral encephalitis, mumps, measles, and diphtheria can result in epilepsy.
• Brain tumors- In some instances, a seizure may be the first sign that a brain tumor exists. For others who have a brain tumor removed, seizures may result after treatment.
• Maternal illness during pregnancy- Injury or illness to an expectant mother can affect the developing brain in the fetus during pregnancy. Heredity Researchers are continually examining the role of heredity and genetics in the development of seizure disorders.
• Side Effects of Medication- Drugs taken by millions can cause seizures as a side effect- one of the most notable is Lariam, an anti-malarial drug often taken by travellers.

It is estimated that about 2,300,000 million people in the United States have some type of epilepsy.

About 181,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each year.

Epilepsy mostly affects children and young adults, with thirty percent of all cases occurring in children under age 18. Epilepsy can begin at any age, however; twenty percent of all cases develop before age five. Fifty percent develop before age twenty-five. Many cases of epilepsy begin after age sixty.

Certain medical conditions in people over age sixty-five (history of stroke, cardiovascular disease or Alzheimer’s disease) increase the risk of developing a seizure disorder.