Owen is nothing short of tenacious and strong. Born on his due date at the end of October 2013, he was the picture of health to his parents Austin and Stewart in Southern Idaho. At three months of age he had his first seizure lasting over eight minutes. He wasn’t sick, there was no fever. Over the course of the next ten months, he would have seizure after seizure and at 13 months old was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome.
One year after his first seizure the family learned of an epilepsy conference in LA. The family traveled there, met Dr. Charlotte Dravet, and met other Dravet families. This meeting would prove to be the catalyst into the involvement of the Watsons with DSF and the Dravet community.
State of Science
In 2013, increased recognition of Dravet syndrome led to more focused funding. NIH grants started supporting research on the molecular mechanisms and potential treatments for SCN1A mutations. This included basic research and early-stage clinical investigations.
Now, Owen is nearly 11 and has grown so much. This past year he attended the DSF national Conference in Minneapolis Minnesota. There he met new friends, played games, and even danced. The parents connected with other parents and learned from industry leaders. Additionally, his sister Dylan, participated in the sibling camp where she too made deep, lasting, and real connections.
Before DSF: Owen’s family faced a series of frightening seizures without clear answers or support, until they found a diagnosis and community.
With DSF: Through conferences and connections, Owen’s family became part of a supportive network, helping to raise awareness locally and learning from other families and experts.
Hope for the Future: With increased research and growing awareness, Owen’s family hopes to see continued breakthroughs in treatment and care for all Dravet families.
Austin, Owen’s mom, states, “We could not be more grateful for the work that DSF has done to support us and others over the last 15 years. In 2013, Owen was considered very young for a diagnosis. Through the work that DSF and our family has done, our local hospital now thinks about Dravet whenever a child comes into the ER with a status seizure. We are in awe of the growth in research and treatment options. We are so excited to see what happens in the next 15 years!”
