According to Epilepsy Canada … Approximately 0.6% of the Canadian population has epilepsy. This includes those who take anticonvulsant drugs or who had a seizure within the past 5 years.
In 50 – 60% of cases, the cause of epilepsy is unknown. In the remainder, the following causes are most common: brain tumour and stroke, head trauma of any type. The more severe the injury, the greater the chance of developing epilepsy. Injury, infection, or systemic illness of the mother during pregnancy, brain injury to the infant during delivery may lead to epilepsy and aftermath of infection (meningitis, viral encephalitis)* poisoning, from substance abuse of alcoholism.