Managing epilepsy at school

Many children with epilepsy take medication that keeps their condition under control, and rarely have seizures.

But a significant number of children still have seizures despite being on medication. This means they may have seizures at school, which can affect their learning.

‘Children who have frequent absence seizures may be disorientated and lose track of what’s going on in class, leading to gaps in their learning,’ says Kathy Bairstow, Senior Advice and Information Officer at Epilepsy Action (free helpline 0808 800 5050, or email [email protected]).

Teachers might also mistake absence seizures for not concentrating, listening or paying attention. ‘Sadly, this can lead to them being labelled as a “naughty child” who’s ignoring what the teacher says,’ Kathy explains.

Needing time off school can be a problem for children with epilepsy, and lead to them missing out on key learning. This might be the case if they have frequent medical appointments, or need time to recover after a seizure.

‘Some children, particularly those who have convulsive seizures, need several hours to recover afterwards, and may need to go home,’ Kathy explains.

‘But even with the less dramatic types of seizure, teachers may be nervous about keeping the child at school afterwards and send them home, when in fact they could remain in school.’

As well as epilepsy itself having a potential impact on children’s learning, their medication can have an effect, too. ‘Some epilepsy medications affect cognition and memory, which can be a challenge for children,’ says Kathy.

Children might also feel self-conscious about having epilepsy, especially if they have convulsive seizures that look frightening to others and can result in them losing bladder or bowel control.

This can have an impact on friendships, and could even lead to the child becoming reluctant to go to school. This can then become a vicious circle, as stress itself can trigger epileptic seizures.

The good news is that there’s a lot that schools can do to help their pupils manage their epilepsy. ‘Most parents that we speak to feel that their children’s school does a good job,’ says Kathy.

Indeed, schools are obliged to put measures in place to ensure that children with epilepsy (and other conditions) can take part in school life in the same way as any other pupils.

Here are some of the things that can help your child – and their school – to manage their epilepsy.

The Individual Healthcare Plan is a document that sets out information about your child’s condition and specific needs, covering things like what type of epilepsy/seizures they have, what to do during a seizure, the medications they take, and so on.

An IHP should be produced jointly by you, the school, and a specialist such as your child’s epilepsy nurse or consultant, and should provide all the details the school needs to understand and manage your child’s condition.

Rachael King is mum to three children with epilepsy: Jenson, seven, William, five, and Darcie, four.

'Having three children with epilepsy means we have very busy lives, with lots of hospital appointments, seizures and tests, but we don’t want their epilepsy to ever hold them back in life.

'The children’s school is exceptional in dealing with their epilepsy. The staff are all very understanding about the children’s needs and what to do if they have a seizure. They will write in their planners, and ring me if they have a seizure or if they have other concerns.

'It’s very important to keep the school updated about any changes in medication, seizures at home, appointments and so on. I’ve also shown the staff videos of the children’s seizures so they’re aware of what to look out for.

'The staff have regular training on what to do if my children have a seizure, and how to use the rescue medication for prolonged seizures. William was even able to go on his first residential with school recently: his teacher reassured me that he would be okay and watched him on a camera monitor overnight to ensure he stayed safe.

'The children have lots of appointments to attend, and when they’re unwell or in hospital, they have to miss school. I always do my best to help them catch up on any work missed.

'I know how difficult it is to send your children to school and let other people look after your babies, but by working together you can gain each other’s trust and confidence and forge a partnership together. From one epilepsy parent to another, keep fighting this battle and doing your children proud.'

Follow Rachael’s journey on Facebook @ourepilepsyjourney and on Twitter @3littlewarriors

Please note: the image accompanying this feature is posed by models.