How to Deal With Seizures in Older Children

A seizure is a neurological problem that occurs due to sudden, abnormal electrical disturbances in the brain. A seizure may cause your child's level of consciousness to become impaired. It may also affect her ability to control her muscles. Some seizures may involve jerking motions on the ground, staring or muscle twitching. Seizures may affect an older child's self-esteem and social life.

Instructions

How to Deal With Seizures in Older Children

• 1

  Educate your child about seizures. The more she understands about it, the more she is able to manage it and not let it prevent her from doing things she can do. Tell her that it is not contagious and cannot prevent her from doing things like playing sports.

• 2

  Make sure your child takes her medication as prescribed to control her seizures. Teach your child about the necessity of taking her medication. If she understands that her drugs help prevent the occurrence of seizures, she is more likely to take them.

• 3

  Provide emotional support. An older child may feel isolated or different from her friends because she may not be able to do everything with them as she would like. She may also get picked on by other children. Being there with positive words of encouragement for your child may help her learn to deal with these issues.

• 4

  Keep your child safe when she is away from home. Inform people who are in constant contact with your child, such as her teachers or friends, about her condition and how to help her in the event of a seizure. Tell them to clear the seizure area of all objects, especially sharp items and when they need to get her immediate medical attention.

• 5

  Talk to your child about having relationships. Older children may want to date and have a relationship with someone. Tell your child there is no reason why he can't date, get married, have sex or have children of his own. This may be a difficult conversation to have, so prepare for it in advance by thinking about and rehearsing what you will say.

• 6

  Modify your home for safety. Remove the locks on your child's bathroom door, so that in the event of a seizure, she can get help. Place a "vacant and in use" sign that can be flipped around on the door, for a sense of privacy. Use a door that opens outwards instead of inwards; this way, if your child falls against it during a seizure, the door won't be wedged shut. Encourage your child to take showers instead of baths and, if possible, install a shower cubicle in her bathroom rather than a bath tub to prevent accidental drowning. Make sure your child's sleeping area is free of objects that can hurt her during a seizure and put her mattress on the floor to prevent falls.