What would you do if you were at school and without any warning a student in class falls out shaking or begins talking in confused speech? The student is having a seizure and you are not sure of what is exactly is happening. This is a scenario that happens quite often, some people panic due to their lack of knowledge concerning epilepsy. A Greek doctor, Hippocrates was the first person to understand that epilepsy was caused by an imbalance in the brain (Noebels 3). Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain; the messages between nerve cell coming and leaving the brain sometimes get confused, resulting in odd behavior and seizures (Llewllyn 32). The unawareness of this condition and the stress of high school life often impact a teenager with epilepsy.
Over the years there have been several myths associated with epilepsy. One myth that has spread through out the world is that a person having a seizure can swallow his or her tongue during a seizure. Fact: a person cannot swallow their tongue during a seizure. If ever in the present of a person having a seizure, that person should never place anything in the patient’s mouth. Another myth is that a person can tell when someone is having a seizure because he or she will fall to the ground and begin to shake. Fact: there are many types of seizures and not all of them involve shaking and falling to the ground. Some people also believe that by restraining the epileptic victim will stop the seizure. Fact: Restraining is not necessary it does not stop the seizure, but it can harm the patient.
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Many people assume that an ambulance should be called in the event of a seizure. Fact: No emergency phone call is needed for most seizures unless a seizure lasts for more than five minutes (epilepsy.org). Epilepsy does not only occur during one’s childhood or infancy, as many believe. Epilepsy can affect infants, children, teens, and adults, at any given time through out their life span (Wyllie)
According to the Epilepsy Foundation, many teens know very little about epilepsy, they view epilepsy as a mental illness or something contagious (Orey 8). Others believe that people with epilepsy are not able to work an ordinary job, or attend regular schools (Orey 12). This lack of knowledge and misinformation often resulted in teens with epilepsy being teased and feeling socially isolated and pressured to keep their seizures a secret (epilepsyfoundation.org). Some concerns for teens with epilepsy are managing their disease and schoolwork (LoBue 8). Teens that have absences or partial seizures sometimes may appear simply attentive or unmotivated in school. “The possibilities that it is a seizure activity that is responsible for their lack of attention can be overlooked, affecting their learning” (LoBue 8). Because of this lack of knowledge this brings many students to failing grades and possibly repeating grades.
The disease of epilepsy affects many people, but is not as common as many other diseases and due to the shame of this disease it is given little attention. Other names have been given to epilepsy such as, convulsions, spells and attacks (Llewellyn 12. It is true that epilepsy comes from the Greek word meaning to seize or to attack (Llewellyn 14. Signs of epilepsy are blackouts, falling down and shaking, confused speech, behavior change, feeling strange, sweating, trembling and daydreaming (Llewellyn 16).
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When these signs go unnoticed a person could have numerous seizures and without a clear cause will have another one, usually within six months (epilepsy/sezire.edu). Epilepsy and seizures are two different things, but they relate to each other. Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by transient but recurrent disturbances of the brain function, which may or may not be associated with impairment or loss of consciousness and abnormal movements or behavior (Dorland 6). A seizure is a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain that usually affects how a person feels or acts for a short time (epilepsy/seizure.edu). There are two categories of seizures. The first category is generalized, which involves the entire brain. The second categories are partial seizures, which affects just one part of the brain. There are three main types, petite, complex and grand mal seizures (Llewellyn 8).
There are several categories of generalized seizures. Primary tonic-clonic or grand mal seizures may cause a person to cry out or gasp, fall down and lose consciousness (epilepsy.org). A persons muscle may jerk, breathing becomes difficult and skin may turn blue or purple. They may also lose control of their bladder or bowels. Drooling can occur as well as the biting of the tongue or lips. Grand Mal seizures can last from thirty seconds to a few minutes (Degan 16). (Absence or petite seizures involve a brief loss of awareness and can occur several times through out the day.) The only sign of this seizure is blinking frequently, daydreaming or the victim’s eyes are rolled back. These signs can happen so quickly that they usually go unnoticed (Degan 26).
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Partial seizures can also be simple partial, were a person may notice an odd taste or smell or feel as though pins and needles are sticking them. A person can feel nauseous or have a stomachache; they may have emotions of fear, sadness, or anger (Degan 9). Complex partial is when a person who appears to be in a daze state, unaware or unresponsive to questioning. They may repeat actions such as chewing, and may last from thirty seconds to three minutes. Afterwards they are confused and drowsy in addition to a severe headache (Degan 15).
One of the main issues is to inform people of this brain disorder that is affecting many people through out the United States. This disease not only affects the individual with epilepsy, it also affects their family and friends. In order to make it through the rough stages of epilepsy, a strong support team is very important for the individual. Epilepsy not only affects humans, it also can affect animals too. The youth today is the main group that epilepsy is affecting in the United States. In 2006, three million people had epilepsy, and one in every child in the United States has epilepsy (Epilepsy Foundation.org). Today all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds are living with epilepsy.
Teens should know that they are not the only ones affected by this disease; some famous people in history had epilepsy. Great people like Harriet Tubman, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Charles Dickson and so many more (Noebels 5). These famous people are proof that epilepsy does not have to stop anyone from living a great life, or reaching his or her dreams. Although a person has epilepsy it is possible to live a normal life as long as they adapt to certain limitations. A
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Teen can participate in activities like sports, dancing or even swimming as long as they limit their time and always wear a helmet to prevent accidents. Teens should always bring a friend along who is aware of what to do in case of an emergency. Freedom is possible for a teen, but safety should always be apart of that freedom.
The average teen’s life consists of driving, dating, high school, and having a job. Teens with epilepsy find that everyday issues like exercise, dating, employment, insurance and driving are limited, or not apart of their life at all (epilepsy Foundation.org). In teens, epilepsy can aggravate or create problems of low self-esteem, dependency, mood or behavioral difficulties (Reiter). Depression is a bigger problem among teenagers with epilepsy than previously thought (William R. Turk 7). Even if the epilepsy is well controlled epilepsy can torment a teen, arousing fear of isolation, ridicule and possible humiliation. Restrictions on activities further separate them from other teens (Orey 14). Typical feelings of these teens are feeling embarrassed by their condition, or terrified of having a seizure in public. The side affects of the medications such as hair loss, weight gain, drowsiness, nausea, fatigue and rashes, etc. In addition teens with epilepsy have to be careful when taking over the counter drugs, some drugs can prevent their medication from working (Reiter10).
High school can be a wonderful experience for a teen with epilepsy as long as certain guidelines are set into place as soon as school begins. The parent should inform the school nurse of the type of seizure the teen has, and what medications the teen is on. Each teacher should be aware of the teen’s symptoms before a seizure and what to do afterwards. There are special programs in place for the teen to protect them when they
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miss school or has a seizure at school and can no longer comprehend what is going on in the class and around them. It is the teen’s responsibility to ask for any missed work or for any tests that might have been missed. The teen with epilepsy usually has one to two weeks to get everything made up, depending on their IEP. An IEP is a special plan that is specially designed for a student with special conditions or a sickness. This plan and following special guidelines will bring more awareness to epilepsy. There are some colleges that have special programs to monitor students with special needs. Some foundations even offer scholarships to attend college for the teen with epilepsy (epilepsyfoundation.org).
“Seizures occur in school and classrooms the United States everyday,” although many do not realize it because teens with epilepsy in high school are ashamed (Epilepsyfoundation.org). According to Henderson in an interview, when I asked, “Did you have any trouble dealing with your condition and school?” She answered, “yes, I could not go on field trips, teachers bugging you and giving you unwanted attention to my illness.” This is one of the many students who remain silent about their condition, just to fit in and not stand out from other teens. By keeping quiet about his or her situation when the student with epilepsy has an attack, no one knows what to do due to a lack of knowledge of the problem. Also by keeping quiet about their sickness, the teen can enjoy the same privileges as other teens at school, things such as football, basketball, and the marching band. Some epileptic students feel that by hiding their illness will make their experience in high school easier.
At the age of twelve I developed epilepsy without any warning. For a while
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I was missed diagnosed because the seizures were fast and hard to capture in front of the doctors. By the time I reached high school my seizures had goon from Petite seizures to Complex seizures. My freshman year was my worst year of school; I had so many seizures that were brought on by the stress of school. Once I had my first seizure in class my peers looked and treated me differently. And just when I thought things could not get any worse, my teachers announced my sickness out loud, causing me more shame and embarrassment. This outburst caused me to feel like a freak and that I did not belong or fit in. One of my worst experiences at school was when I had a substitute teacher and she was not warned about my condition, not only did she not know what to do; she also accused me of faking my situation. Due to medications and many days of missed school, my grades went from an “A” to an “F”. Being a teen with epilepsy has so many hardships such as not driving unless you are seizure free for one year. For this reason many teens do not report their seizures so that they are able to drive like their peers.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder and can control a great deal of a teen’s life. Seizures are often unpredictable and dangerous which requires someone to be around the epileptic at all times. The world is familiar with cancer, diabetes, asthma and so many more diseases, but they know little about epilepsy. Teens with epilepsy can live a normal life and accomplish their goals if people are made aware of their struggle through high school, without embarrassing them. I have come to terms with my condition and I am taking back control of my life. With plenty of rest, the right medication, a good support team and a positive outlook on life, I can do anything that I set my mind to do. I plan to be the voice for teens in high school with epilepsy.
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