About the Technology Guide
Living with epilepsy can bring many questions and worries, especially around safety, living alone with epilepsy and managing seizures day-to-day. Some people worry about having a seizure while alone, or during the night. Others want better ways to track their seizures, medication or triggers, or to be able to share information with their healthcare team.
Technology won’t be the answer for everyone, but having clear, trusted information can help you feel more confident in exploring your options.
The Epilepsy Technology Guide has been developed to help make sense of what is out there and provides lots of information on aids that can help people living with epilepsy, including:
- Anti-suffocation pillows
- Apps
- Bed alarms and monitors
- Video monitors
- Wearable epilepsy devices
We’ve also reached out to the epilepsy community to get feedback on technology that they’ve used, so that you can see what’s worked best for people like you. You can also give your own feedback on technology you’ve used, or tell us what barriers there are to accessing technology by filling in our form.
Disclaimer
This guide provides general information only to help people affected by epilepsy find and compare technology, apps and medical devices that may be relevant to them. It is not medical advice and should not replace advice from a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. Inclusion does not mean that Epilepsy Action recommends, endorses or clinically approves a product, and exclusion does not mean that a product is unsuitable.
Read the full disclaimer here.
Epilepsy Technology
Use the tabs below to explore the range of epilepsy technology available:
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Anti-suffocation pillows
Anti-suffocation pillows are designed to reduce the risk of breathing difficulties during a seizure at night. They use specialist materials that allow air to pass through more easily than standard pillows. There is not currently enough research to prove that they are safer than normal pillows or that they can reduce the risk of SUDEP.
This type of aid may be helpful if you:
- Have seizures at night and during sleep
- Feel anxious about night-time safety
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Apps
Apps can support many aspects of day-to-day epilepsy management. There are a range of apps in the Technology Guide that focus on:
- Medication reminders
- Seizure diaries/tracking
- Trigger monitoring
- Seizure or fall detection via integration with a smartwatch
- Epilepsy first aid
Apps may be helpful if you want to:
- Keep track of seizures over time
- Manage medication more easily
- Share information with your healthcare team
- Use your smartphone or smartwatch as part of your care
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Bed monitors and alarms
Bed monitors are designed to monitor seizures or falls at night and during sleep. They are often placed under or near the mattress and detect seizure activity through movement or sound.
Some devices are also able to:
- Detect whether someone is still in bed
- Connect with pagers or nurse call systems
- Alert another person immediately if a seizure is detected
This type of technology may be helpful if you:
- Have seizures during sleep
- Worry about having a seizure at night
- Live with a partner, family member or carer who could respond to an alert
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Video monitors
Video monitors allow someone to visually check for seizures remotely, or to review recorded footage later. Some systems monitor in real time, while others record motion or sound-triggered events.
This type of technology may be helpful if you:
- Have seizures at night or during sleep
- Want visual confirmation that a seizure has occurred
- Want recordings to share with a healthcare professional
These devices can also be used more generally to monitor safety, such as detecting falls or unusual movement.
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Wearable epilepsy devices
Wearable seizure alarms, monitors, and devices are often worn on the wrist or body. They are designed to be worn as part of day-to-day life with epilepsy. There are a range of different categories of wearable devices that are useful for people with epilepsy:
- Seizure detectors
- Fall detectors
- Protective headgear
- Other monitors
This type of technology may be helpful if you:
- Live alone with epilepsy
- Want alerts sent to a carer or family member
- Have seizures during the day as well as at night
- Want to record seizure information over time
Have your say on epilepsy technology
Many of the devices and apps in the Epilepsy Technology Guide include ratings from people living with epilepsy and their carers. These experiences can help others make informed decisions and feel more confident when choosing technology.
If you haven’t used epilepsy technology, we also want to hear from you. We want to understand the barriers you’ve faced in using technology, so that we can help improve access in the future.
Share your experience using the form below: