Final answer:
EEG is used after a first time seizure to record brain's electrical activity, helping diagnose epilepsy or other conditions, determining involved brain regions, and guiding treatment, including potential brain surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
An EEG is commonly used after a first time seizure to aid in diagnosing conditions such as epilepsy, which affects up to three percent of people in the United States over their lifetime and is characterized by recurrent seizures. An EEG, or electroencephalography, involves placing an array of electrodes around a person's head to record the brain's electrical activity. This information can help neurologists determine which brain regions are involved in the seizure and can guide treatment planning. It's particularly useful when the cause of seizures is uncertain and could be related to various factors like brain injury, intellectual disability, ASD, genetic factors, environmental influences, or other illnesses. For patients with severe cases of epilepsy that are not controlled by anticonvulsant medications, an EEG can also help pinpoint areas for potential brain surgery to remove the seizure origin.