Epilepsy Awareness
Advice and Strategies for Teaching Students with a Disability
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Epilepsy Awareness Brochure PDF [164kb]
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy occurs in 1-2 per cent of the population. The few known causes of epilepsy include birth trauma, head injury, brain infection, lack of oxygen to the brain e.g. from near drowning or severe asthma attack, poisoning. Temporary physical changes in the brain can cause seizures, which can be convulsive (jerking) or nonconvulsive (confusion, unresponsiveness, inappropriate behaviour).
In those predisposed to epilepsy, seizures may be triggered by a range of stimuli including flashing lights, stress or anxiety, fatigue, illness, excitement, inadequate food, excessive alcohol, and physical activity.
Epilepsy does not affect intelligence or learning ability. Generally, participation in the full range of educational activities occurs without major adjustments.
People who take medication for epilepsy rarely have seizures. In some cases, however, sedative anticonvulsant drugs may interfere with concentration. If undetected, epilepsy can cause frequent small lapses of consciousness which can interfere with learning.
Epileptic Seizures
First Aid Procedures
- Note the time when the person started to have a seizure.
- Keep calm. Although the manifestations may be intense they are generally not painful to the individual.
- Help lower the person to the floor and place cushioning under his/her head.
- Roll person onto side, into the recovery position, once jerking has stopped (or immediately, if vomiting has occurred).
- Loosen tight clothing. Do not put anything in the person's mouth.
- Do not try to restrain bodily movement.
- Make sure someone stays with the person until they recover.
The majority of seizures will resolve within a 5-10 minute period making ambulance attendance unnecessary. Sometimes after a seizure, the person may be exhausted and require a deep sleep.
Call an ambulance if:
- food or water is in mouth
- injury has occurred
- the seizure lasts longer than is usual for that person
- jerking lasts longer than 5 minutes or another seizure follows
- you arrive after the seizure has started
- the person has breathing difficulties after the jerking stops
- the person has diabetes
- the person is pregnant
- it is the person's first known seizure
- you are in any doubt about what to do
Epilepsy
- can affect anyone at any age
- is wrongly surrounded by fear, prejudice and misunderstanding
- is common and can be managed
- does not necessarily limit expectations or achievements
Positive interactions in the learning environment
The student may benefit from:
- keeping the stress level low
- a high degree of personal space
- avoiding exposure to flickering lights and moving computer screen savers
- the repeating of missed information
- reassurance given to other students that seizures aren't harmful, and are not contagious
If the student is comfortable with disclosing such information, it may be useful to endeavour to find out:
- possible effects of medication
- any restrictions on activity
- the possibility and usual length of seizures
Other sources of support
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