Jay Fuller, age 14, of Galveston, Texas, for his question:

WHAT CAUSES EPILEPSY?

Epilepsy is a disease of the nervous system. It is a chronic brain disorder that strikes with sudden spells during which patients have spasms, called convulsions. Doctors say epilepsy may be hereditary.

Sometimes epilepsy follows.injuries to the head. Usually, however, there is no obvious reason discovered for the disease. Most of the time it will start in childhood.

The good news is that epileptics can lead normal lives. They can go to school, work, marry and bring up families. Medical science has discovered many ways to stop or, in part, control the epileptic attacks.

Epileptic seizures differ in intensity and in symptom. They are grouped into three types: the grand mal, petit mal and psychomotor.

Epilepsy was recognized in ancient times and it was first described by the Egyptians. At first, patients were thought to be bewitched. As time passed, fear of the disease was removed.