School’s starting! Many parents may secretly look forward to this time of year.  Yet parents of children with seizures may also feel anxious or scared, for example…

• Will their child be safe at school? 
• Will school personnel know what to do if a seizure occurs?
• Will their child have problems learning and keeping up?
• Will they have trouble making friends or be bullied for having epilepsy?
• How can parents prepare their child to manage seizures at school?

There is no one answer to these questions. Epilepsy is a spectrum disorder- this means that there are many different types of seizures and epilepsy, and they can affect children differently.

Some children will do very well, with well-controlled seizures and little to no consequences. Others don’t do well. They may have occasional seizures or very frequent ones. There could be other neurological, medical or social problems too. These problems can affect the child’s safety, learning, mood, movement, friendships, and the ability to participate or succeed in school.

As a parent, you are your child’s best advocate. This is a hard job and you can’t do it alone. You also don’t want to “overprotect” your child. The best way of advocating for your child is speaking up and working with school personnel so they understand your child’s epilepsy experience and how best to help him succeed in school.

Here are some tips and links to information and resources from the Epilepsy Foundation to help you get started.

What Can Parents Do to Prepare for School?