What Impact Does Epilepsy Have on a Child's Development?

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, most children who have epilepsy live normal lives and develop normally. However, their lives will be a little different in that they have to take medicine daily and visit doctors frequently. Some children may experience development problems related to their ability to learn when seizures occur frequently.

Types

• Types of development problems that may occur in children with epilepsy include academic difficulties in writing, reading and math. Some children with epilepsy may have problems with speech and communication as well. Learning may be impaired by problems with attention, memory and hyperactivity.

Effects

• A seizure disorder may affect a child's ability to maintain attention; this may vary from day to day. Children may have difficulty paying attention because of fatigue that occurs as the result of nighttime seizures. Also, some children may have several petit mal seizures during the day, which disrupt their ability to process and remember information presented. Anti-seizure medications also may cause problems with mental processing and can cause fatigue.

Misconceptions

• According to Merck, most seizure disorders do not result in permanent brain damage. Seizures that continue for several hours may damage the brain; however, seizures rarely last that long. Long-lasting seizures are particularly dangerous if they are accompanied by a high fever.

Considerations

• Education accommodations may be needed for children with seizure disorders. Some accommodations that may be helpful include seating the child at the front of the classroom, reducing the amount of written work, providing visual aids when possible and monitoring the child's understanding often.

Intervention

• Children with a seizure disorder need early intervention to address learning problems and to determine their academic weaknesses. Children with epilepsy typically will learn best in a structured setting and with direct instruction. One-on-one instruction likely will produce the best results. Children with epilepsy may require special education services to address their individualized needs.