CHILDREN & SCHOOL IMPLICATIONS
A CHILD'S LEARNING
A child with epilepsy may have difficulties in school. 65% of children with epilepsy have some other special need. A child who has recurring absence seizures can miss a large portion of school lessons because of the multiple periods of detachment from reality. Significant learning difficulties may manifest themselves in a myriad of ways. Self-esteem issues may also impede a child's abilty to stay focused or to avail themself for learning opportunities. Children with epilepsy should not be mistaken for having limited intelligence. They are bright, eager to learn youngsters, but they may need differentiated instructional methods. It is imperative the parent and teacher work together to ensure the success of the child.
INFORMING THE SCHOOL
School is a large part of a child's life. A great deal of time is spent at school. Therefore it is extremely important that the school personnel (nurse, teachers, administration, coaches) be made aware of the child's epilepsy.
THE NURSE
The school nurse should serve as the advocate for the child in the school and a resource for teachers who need information about epilepsy. It is imperative that the nurse be informed about the type of the child's seizures, the medications being used and any other pertinent information regarding the child. Telephone numbers of the parents and the child's doctor should be readily available.
THE TEACHER
The teacher should be asked to observe the child carefully for possible seizures or adverse effects of medication. If the teacher notices any unusual behavior, such as staring, lip smacking, repetitive hand movements, or involuntary movements, the parents and the doctor should be told. These behaviors may represent seizures. Furthermore, certain problems such as tremor, lethargy, nausea, or double vision may occur only when the medication levels reach a peak during school hours. In this case, the teacher's observations can be extremely helpful when the health professionals and parents need to make adjustments to medications. The teacher can be an extension of the parents' and doctor's eyes and ears.
THE CHILDREN
It may be appropriate to inform the classmates of a child who has epilepsy. However, that is a personal and family decision.
If the child has daytime seizures and is prone to have tonic-clonic seizures (grand-mal) it may be helpful to inform the other children in the event that a seizure were to occur in the classroom. Witnessing a seizure for the first time can be very alarming and frightening, especially for a child. Having a health professional give an educational lesson to the entire classroom may help the other children feel more comfortable as well as the child with epilepsy.
A CHILD WITH EPILEPSY IS ENTITLED TO
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IF DEEMED APPROPRIATE
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (formerly called P.L. 94-142 or the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975) requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities, a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs.
IEP Requirements
IDEA requires public school systems to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEP's) for each child. The specific special education and related services outlined in each IEP reflect the individualized needs of each student.
IDEA also mandates that particular procedures be followed in the developmentof the IEP. Each student's IEP must be developed by a team of knowledgeable persons and must be reviewed annually. The team includes the child's teacher, the parents, subject to certain limited exceptions; the child, if determined appropriate; an agency representative who is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of special education; and other individuals at the parents' or agency's discretion.
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