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Back at School
The stress of preparing your child for the first days of school is over: school has started. Time to take a deep breath and relax. It is also time, however, for parents of children with epilepsy to consider a few tips that might make the entire school year as stress free as possible.
- If you haven't already, meet with your child's teacher(s) one on one. Give the teacher information specific to your child; what the seizures will look like, how the teacher should respond, and any special attention that your child might need. Let the teacher know that you, or your local epilepsy organization, are available to answer any further questions they may have.
- Make a follow up appointment with the teacher a few weeks into school to ask if he or she has any further questions about your child's disorder.
- Make it clear to the teacher that you want your child's school experience to be as normal as possible. The teacher does not need to be overprotective or exempt the child from activities that the rest of the class is participating in.
- If your child needs to take medication during school hours, keep a supply with the school nurse, and another supply at home. Make sure that the teacher and the administration are aware of your child's medications, when they need to be taken, and how. Let the teacher know if your child's medications change.
- Children who have multiple absence seizures in a day may miss out on important instructions. Suggest that the teacher repeats instructions carefully and clearly.
- Book a Kids on the Block or similar presentation from your local epilepsy organization for the other children in the class so that they will know what to expect and be able to respond appropriately if your child has a seizure at school.
- Stay involved!
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