Epilepsy And The Classroom Susanne Finn Epilepsy Society

Epilepsy And The Classroom Susanne Finn Epilepsy Society of Southern NY

Objectives Advocating for your child in the classroom l Psycho-social issues l Communication between home and school l Resources available to you! l

Children and Epilepsy Over three million Americans of all ages are living with epilepsy l 200, 000 new cases are diagnosed each year l 300, 000 children under the age of 14 are currently affected by epilepsy l

Available Resources: Trainings in seizure recognition and first aid are available for teachers and school staff l Epilepsy Society of Southern NY l Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group

During Teacher Trainings: Teachers are trained to: l To recognize a seizure l To provide the appropriate first aid l To recognize an emergency l To provide educational accommodations

Parent-School Communication Description of expected seizure pattern l Consensus on response l Written communication if seizure pattern or frequency is not as described by parent l Documentation of observations l

Parent-School Communication School Protocol l Permission to share information with all school personnel in contact with your child l Trainings can be provided to bus drivers, teacher aides, support staff, etc. l

Teacher Response Make sure teacher is cognizant of anything related to learning or social issues l Tutoring arranged for remediation l Educate other students l Stop bullying l

Behavior Management Make teachers aware of possible causes of behavior changes l Seizure activity at home l Medication side effects l Medication changes Provide discipline and guidance as with any student

Encourage Participation In All Activities Helps develop social skills l Encourages independence l Heightens self-esteem l Think through the risks and benefits of each activity for each child

Epilepsy Society of Southern NY Susanne Finn Community Educator sfinn@essny. com (845) 627 -0627 ext. 148