NOOKcolor and Epilepsy

[CasperAZ]

I have not heard of anyone who owns a NOOKcolor and who has epilepsy of having a seizure from some type of flickering on the screen, yet, I have read some flickering screens on other electronic devices could cause a seizure especially on the 3-D TVs.  In my opinion, I think the NOOKcolor presents no danger for someone who has epilepsy.  Am I right?

[gstone]

I have been diagnosed as epileptic.

Some people have more frequent episodes than others. I have met people who have multiple episodes a day and medication has no effect. Others may have one or less a year. For many, episodes can be fully controlled through medication.

 What triggers a seizure for each individual is different. It could be touch, sound, smell, visual, a combination of senses or usually something else entirely.  It's very rare if ever to find a person that you can truthfully say; "Ah ha! That is what triggers their seizures." or "That triggered a seizure."

Someone may have a seizure every time they look into the aquarium. You decide the aquarium is causing seizures. You move it out of the way in preparation for disposal.  When you turn around that person is peacefully watching the fish swim around. Put the aquarium back and he watches the fish. He doesn't have a seizure. There are simply too many variables to determine a cause and effect relationship.

Neurologists are prone to blame everything on epilepsy or a seizure. They make their money by diagnosing epilepsy and seizures. One diagnosed me as having had a seizure when I went to the ER for a vision problem that suddenly became noticeable to me.  It turned out I had a cataract developing in one eye. Another was convinced I was having seizures in my sleep because I wasn't having any during the day. I walked out of his office, closed the door and have refused to talk to one since. I have seen about a half dozen others and every one of them was as nonsensical as the first two examples.  

If you read about an incident where someone had a seizure watching 3-D TV, it's possible but I would question the connection to epilepsy. Under the right circumstances if you rise from a chair too fast you can induce a faint. Some may interpret that as a petite mal seizure.  All that has happened is the blood has rushed from your brain. Gravity does that kind of thing. Try eating a banana hanging upside down and you will probably gag.

3D-TV has no effect on me other than I think it is lame. A NookColor surely wouldn't affect me considering how much time I spend at a monitor. That's me. It may affect someone, who knows.

On the other hand, the sight of a NookColor may cause kindle owners to have an epileptic fit. So maybe you should be careful who you show your NookColor to.

[mbratch]

I thought that flickering had to be a very low frequency (such as around 8 cps) to be a trigger for epilepsy.

As gstone indicates, there are variances per case, so it may be best to consult the physician of the epileptic?

[jeanniepep]

I have heard 3D gives certain people headaches because by its nature it focuses your right eye and left eye a little differently; I wonder if that has any effect on the epileptic brain function of some individuals? I really have no clue but it makes sense.

I think if you can successfully use a computer screen, LCD television, or Nintendo DS, the NookColor screen should not cause a problem. You just never know though, maybe some books (or magazines or videos) will cause a seizure and others won't.

[TaterFink]

"On the other hand, the sight of a NookColor may cause kindle owners to have an epileptic fit. So maybe you should be careful who you show your NookColor to."   

I just love this comment!   In my minds eye, I can just see the kindle owners faces!    

Nook envy, that's it!

[deemure]

That is too funny-about the kindle.  The latest kindle users thoughts are that the NOOKcolor is cute, maybe, but not an ereader.  I went onto their forum to lurk around merely because of the thread here that says they think we are nasty.  Most of the comments range from lack of truthiness to dismissiveness.  There are a few that say anything positive about the NOOKcolor, mostly coming from people that own kindles and NCs.

My sister-in-law's sister has epilepsy, as does this sister's son.  I see there are often disclaimers for video games that their use may trigger attacks, but he has always played them with no problems.  So as gstone said there are probably some different triggers that may cause them, but medication or even perhaps certain other unknown things may be involved in this.  My sister-in-law's sister used to actually have them triggered by driving.  Scary, I know. 

She would stop taking her medication because it made her too groggy to do things (back then mostly phenobarbitol), and I'd have to tell my sister-in-law I'd see her driving and she would be fixated staring straight ahead.  She didn't have what we traditionally think of as seizures all the time, but would kind of zone out.  She couldn't drive while taking the phenobarbitol and shouldn't have been driving while not taking it.  But I don't know what triggered her seizures.  She's never had problems with TV, video games, or computers.  In fact, for many years she worked at a computer all day long with no ill effect.

[riffrafff]

Anyone know what the NC's (screen's) refresh rate is? I don't recall seeing that in the specs.

[donc13]

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CasperAZ wrote:

I have not heard of anyone who owns a NOOKcolor and who has epilepsy of having a seizure from some type of flickering on the screen, yet, I have read some flickering screens on other electronic devices could cause a seizure especially on the 3-D TVs.  In my opinion, I think the NOOKcolor presents no danger for someone who has epilepsy.  Am I right?

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You know, I find your posts "interesting"    You've posted about other "I've heard..." issues or just plain old speculation.    Afraid of burning your house down...yet no one has reported their house burnt down.   Don't store flamables near your charger.....who would do that?    Do you keep gasoline in your bedroom?  Do you pile rags against your wall sockets?   Do you cover chargers with tissue paper?  

And then there was the thead on what happens if you read it in the john and drop it in the toilet.    Again....HOW would you drop it in the toilet if you're sitting on the john?   I mean, come on seriously....many of your threads are just outlandish.

Do you have epilepsy?    If yes, then why not report that it causes you no issues.   If not, why do you care?   Are you qualified to offer an opinion on this...are you a neurologist or other expert in epilepsy?

I honestly wonder about your posts...what the purpose behind them is.

[CasperAZ]

donc13, a Discussion Board should be open to variegated topics and issues.  I don't think "outlandish" is the proper vernacular in regards to my posts, but "original and thoughtful" is better suited. 

Regarding the topic of accidentally dropping a NOOKcolor in the john, when you read the entire post, you will come across where I do explain how it can happen.

Regarding the issue of speculation on my part, you speculated on certain quotes that were not made by me about the charger heating up.  True, I did raise caution (and it is a natural one) about a possible house fire based on some testimonies on a Discussion Thread about a charger heating up but I was not the one whom you refer to other quotes discussed on that same Discussion Thread.

donc13, there is nothing wrong with asking and seeking knowledge and to find the truth when rumors abound or if I should read something on the Internet that I want an opinion on.

donc13, I would never ask you, "I wonder about your posts" as you did to me.  That's certainly written to embarrass someone.  If you think differently, well, maybe you're a better person than I.

[dvt88]

Come on people, if you don't like a post don't read It! Don't judge a book by its cover. just my thought. "I never meet a man I did't like." Will Rogers

[donc13]

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CasperAZ wrote:

donc13, a Discussion Board should be open to variegated topics and issues.  I don't think "outlandish" is the proper vernacular in regards to my posts, but "original and thoughtful" is better suited. 

Regarding the topic of accidentally dropping a NOOKcolor in the john, when you read the entire post, you will come across where I do explain how it can happen.

Regarding the issue of speculation on my part, you speculated on certain quotes that were not made by me about the charger heating up.  True, I did raise caution (and it is a natural one) about a possible house fire based on some testimonies on a Discussion Thread about a charger heating up but I was not the one whom you refer to other quotes discussed on that same Discussion Thread.

donc13, there is nothing wrong with asking and seeking knowledge and to find the truth when rumors abound or if I should read something on the Internet that I want an opinion on.

donc13, I would never ask you, "I wonder about your posts" as you did to me.  That's certainly written to embarrass someone.  If you think differently, well, maybe you're a better person than I.

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Well...then we disagree.   You might as well ask if the nook is usable on the flying saucer after the aliens abduct you.    Or if you can read while under the car removing the oil plug as you change the oil.   How about...if you're a medical examiner, and during an autopsy, it gets dropped into the body cavity?

There's a difference between reasonable and outlandish.   A reasonable concern, is what happens if you drop it in the water.   And outlandish concern is dropping it in the toilet while you're sitting on it.

And this thread...you have absolutely no basis for your "opinion"   The posts from people who do have epilepsy confirmed that.

So yes, I wonder about you and your posts.    Perhaps it's time for you to get a new tin foil hat.

[donc13]

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dvt88 wrote:
Come on people, if you don't like a post don't read It! Don't judge a book by its cover. just my thought. "I never meet a man I did't like." Will Rogers

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I've met TONS I didn't like, I was a big city policeman for 26 years.    Trust me, it takes ALL knids to make up society.  And yes, some ARE better than others.

[Auora]

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CasperAZ wrote:

Regarding the topic of accidentally dropping a NOOKcolor in the john, when you read the entire post, you will come across where I do explain how it can happen.

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I'm probably going to be called out on TMI but... I'm one of those people that likes to read in the bathroom. I've been known to take books, magazines, laptops, Game Boys (original, color, advance, DS....), and yes, my Nook color, into the bathroom with me.

I have yet to have even lost my grip on any of these things while I, shall we say, did my business. Unless you tend to drop things from your hands uncontrollably, or don't pay attention to WHERE you put things down onto (Clothing tends to have pockets for a reason.), there's just about no way you could drop something large like the nook color into the toilet.

Now, if we were talking about cellphones, or ipods.. then I could see it happening.

Ontopic: One of my dad's exgirlfriends would get seizures if she didn't sleep enough the previous night, and once while I was driving her and my dad back home from a restaurant she went into a seizure in the seat next to me. No clue what caused it, one minute she and Dad were chatting, the next she's shaking, out of it, acting like someone just shot her up with morphine and she can only say the word 'hot'.

I agree with the others that said that anything can be a trigger, and it's impossible to confirm what is an actual trigger and what isn't... which might be why so many products have warnings, they don't want to get blamed or sued. :/

[CasperAZ]

donc13, I started this Discussion Thread but you hijacked it.  I don't hijack other posters' Discussion Threads. I'll ignore your rude comments because I'm not going to let them bother me.

[Desert_Brat]

Ya know, a discussion forum is exactly that DISCUSSION. It's a place where people can offer their own opinions and viewponts,  and read those of others. It doesn't mean those who post must be an "expert" before they open their mouths.

As far as outlandish, HOOOEY! I find myself laughing out loud at some of the things here. I've enjoyed the subtle humor, the twisted humor and the outright jokes. As always, throughout time itself, there are those who have no sense of humor. I even tolerate those people or skip their post entirely. That's the beauty of public forums, nobody forces you to be here, nobody forces you to participate, nobody forces you to read, nobody forces you to click on a topic you don't like.

As far as epilepsy. I was married to an epileptic for 25 years. I did a lot of reading and talking to doctors to figure out how to best help my husband. What I DID find out was that there are as many triggers for epilepsy as there are types of seizures. Not every seizure means flopping on the floor. Not every seizure has an aura before the actual seizure. And not every epileptic is treated "across the board." Treatment is geared to the individual, and as just about any doctor will tell you, it's trial and error until you find something that helps for MOST of the time. The truth is, nobody knows what can or cannot trigger a seizure in people. A seizure can also be classed as an allergic reaction! An allergy can manifest any symptom of any disease, it isn't just breaking out in red spots and sneezing.

CasperAZ has started some of the best threads on this forum, and some that are just downright funny. So let's not call down others just because they don't conform to a certain point of view when they offer their experience or opinion. That's the whole point of an open forum, it is THEIR experience, and it's also how others learn. We wouldn't know a damned thing about, for instance, the hardships of the Civil War if we hadn't read soldiers diaries; or what if we'd just let the "experts" say no, that didn't happen. The whole basis of investigation is digging into others' experiences and not relying on sole-source information.

[CasperAZ]

Thank you, Desert_Brat, for your nice comments about me.

[donc13]

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Desert_Brat wrote:

[a bunch cut out for brevity]

As far as epilepsy. I was married to an epileptic for 25 years. I did a lot of reading and talking to doctors to figure out how to best help my husband. What I DID find out was that there are as many triggers for epilepsy as there are types of seizures. Not every seizure means flopping on the floor. Not every seizure has an aura before the actual seizure. And not every epileptic is treated "across the board." Treatment is geared to the individual, and as just about any doctor will tell you, it's trial and error until you find something that helps for MOST of the time. The truth is, nobody knows what can or cannot trigger a seizure in people. A seizure can also be classed as an allergic reaction! An allergy can manifest any symptom of any disease, it isn't just breaking out in red spots and sneezing.

[more cut out for brevity]

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And tell me, when your husband decided to try something new, did you go to a book forum to find out if his something new might cause a seizure?    Or did you seek the advice of a doctor?

My point isn't this thread, it's his outlandish topics and then to top it all off, he offers an opinion on a serious medical issue, with ZERO facts or knowledge.

That'd be like me offering an opinion on what you are wearing right now, as you read this.   I haven't the fainest idea who you are, where you live, what color, fabric, shape, size, etc. looks good or bad on you....or what you have on right now (nor do I care).    So I could say you look great, or look like crap or anywhere inbetween, and my opinion in this case has less that zero value.   Because I have NOTHING upon which to base ANY opinion about what you're wearing.

Just like CasperAZ has NOTHING to base his opinion on.

But...I've now had my say, you've had yours and he's had his.

I guess we're done with this.

I know I am.

[Desert_Brat]

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donc13 wrote:

... did you go to a book forum to find out if his something new might cause a seizure? ...

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As a matter of fact, I did; and a lot of other places where I felt comfortable. I also gleaned a lot of useful information and a lot of needed emotional bolstering from people I didn't even know other than by their words and screen name. But that's the beauty of a social network.

But you're right, it's time to move on.