Do you have resources to help explain seizures and epilepsy to my child's teacher and classmates?

It can be frightening for students and teachers to witness a seizure. You can help your child's teacher educate his or her classmates early on about proper seizure first aid and epilepsy. 

Start by having a conversation with your child about his or her seizures. Explore when, where, and how to tell others about his or her epilepsy. Every situation and every child will be different, so doing some role playing and discussing how people might react can be helpful. 

By talking openly and honestly about epilepsy, you can reduce stigma, decrease fear, and improve the overall acceptance of your child. 

Reliable Sources of Information: 

It is important for teachers to have access to reliable sources of information for explaining seizures and epilepsy to classmates. 

HealthyChildren.org contains information about the various forms of epilepsy, including what to do if your child has a seizure, how to support a child with epilepsy (which includes information on how to explain it to teachers), information about diagnosis and treatment, and an article specifically on  children with epilepsy at school. HealthyChildren.org also as an article with seizure safety tips for parents.   

Some Tips for Teachers: 

• Review your student's Seizure Action Plan. 
  

• Be knowledgeable with seizure first aid. 
  

• With the child's and the parent's permission, discuss seizures in the classroom with the message that children with epilepsy are like everyone else. 
  

• Wear purple on March 26th to raise epilepsy awareness. Encourage students to wear purple, too.