Back to School
BY LISA GALLIPOLI, Epilepsy Alliance America
Is your social media feed filled with “Back to School” photos this week? It’s an exciting time of year for students – for new beginnings – and for parents, for new-found time. For families with epilepsy, it can be a worrisome time – having your child away from home – in new situations, with new friends and teachers, and maybe even a new school!
Epilepsy Alliance America and its member organizations are here to help. Epilepsy Alliance America put together a Seizure Preparedness Back to School Checklist with lots of tips and helpful information to get the school organized, the teachers prepared, and the resources you need to set your child up for success.
Seizure Action Plans and Rescue Medications
A Seizure Action Plan helps ensure everyone knows how to help your student. Revisit and update this plan every year. It will depend on the needs of each student and changes in their medical condition.
As Lucretia Long, Epilepsy Alliance America National Program Advisory Committee member, told us, “Seizure Action Plans are meant to guide care in emergencies – but are underused. The Seizure Action Plan includes simple-to-follow steps for seizure treatment and is designed to be used with a wide range of care partners – including those with limited experience. By making the Seizure Action Plan brief, concise, and easy to follow, we hope that this will not just be a good guide but a useful TOOL for patients with epilepsy.”
Rescue medications can be an essential part of a Seizure Action Plan. Rescue medications are approved as an acute treatment, which means that the medicine is given at the time of the seizure. There are many types of rescue medications your doctor can prescribe, and the new school year is a good time to ask your doctor if your child is prescribed the best option for them.
School Personnel Training
We are here to help your child’s school personnel know what to do if your child has a seizure at school.
Epilepsy Alliance America and our member organizations are ready to help train school personnel in Seizure Recognition and First Aid. Many states have mandated that school personnel receive training every other year. Our On-Demand training is available 24/7 and takes less than an hour to complete. Our member organizations provide live and in-person training for thousands of school districts across the county.
Epilepsy Can Affect the Entire Student Experience
Epilepsy affects the overall quality of life in patients and their families. Depression and anxiety can be common in children with epilepsy. The social stigma surrounding epilepsy for centuries continues and impacts the quality of life for people with epilepsy and their families, often leading to fear, misunderstanding, discrimination, and bullying. Parents need to have an ongoing dialog with their child’s school to ensure that their child receives the right academic and social support.
Learn More
Join Epilepsy Alliance America for our Back to School Webinar on September 13. We will have a panel of experts available to walk you through our Back to School Checklist and to answer YOUR questions.
And, remember, our Back to School Checklist is available here.
Learn more about Epilepsy Alliance America at our website – epilepsyallianceamerica.org.
Learn more about Epilepsy Alliance America at our website – epilepsyallianceamerica.org.
JoshProvides is a proud member organization of Epilepsy Alliance America.
Member organizations of Epilepsy Alliance America have been collectively supporting people with epilepsy for decades through support services, information, education, advocacy, and public awareness. As a result, the Alliance provides real epilepsy help to approximately 1 million Americans living with epilepsy. Member organizations vary but include educational programs in schools, individual/family consultations, legislative and special education advocacy, medication assistance, camp programs, and telephone support.
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