Epilepsy, characterized by the occurrence of seizures, is a condition that affects the brain. In most cases, epilepsy has become a life-long condition, and only a very small number of people experience the health condition for a short time. There are different types of epilepsy seizures: simple partial, generalized partial and generalized seizures. Epilepsy Seizures occur when the brain sends electrical discharges that are abnormal to the rest of the body. When a change of levels of potassium and sodium takes place on both the inside and surrounding of the nerve stem, charges pass through the cerebral cortex membrane. As a result, electoral charges in the body become less systematic leading to an overload of signals sent to the body. Such a condition is caused by lack of enough oxygen, infections, and changes in metabolism. Statistics show that approximately 300,000 people each year experience their first epilepsy of which about 120,000 people are under eighteen years. About 100,000 cases of epilepsy occur in children under the age of five years which are caused by high fevers (Lee, 2010).
Teachers play a significant role in the well-being of epileptic students physically, emotionally and academically. Evidence shows that epilepsy has a significant influence on students’ academic performance. For this reason, it is important for instructors to acquire the knowledge and skills on dealing with children with epilepsy seizures. More specifically, they should have the skills on how to identify students with seizure and how to respond to a situation whereby a student experiences a seizure while in the classroom. More importantly, they should train the victims on what to do when they experience such conditions. Many teachers, who understand and inspire epileptic students to be independent, have self-esteem and facilitate learning. The following paper discusses the effects of epilepsy on learning and then illustrates how teachers can enhance the learning experience of epileptic children in school. It also demonstrates how teachers should respond to an epileptic emergency condition on a child.
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How epilepsy in children affects their learning
Children with epilepsy experience a high range of learning difficulties and have poor performance in their academics. This is caused by anxiety, medication, neurological causes, absenteeism and epilepsy itself. Epilepsy also affects the ability of the student to be independent and have the courage to interact with the rest of the students in class. It will also result in absenteeism of the student due to disrupted classes. Absenteeism depends on how much epilepsy affects the student, that is, it may be a minor seizure, or the student may be needed to get to a quiet place to recover. It is worth noting that epilepsy results in neurological problems whereby the student is not able to recognize words in class or recollect the meanings of different words. Epileptic students are likely to experience fatigue caused by complex partial epilepsy (Takahashi, 2008). This is a situation that disrupts the students’ learning experience, and some of the can even choose to drop out from school.
Some medications for treating epilepsy result in side effects such as lack of concentration and hyperactivity. They also lead to loss of coordination, headaches, drowsiness, nausea, tremor and behavior changes. Also, the medications can lead to physical changes like gum overgrowth, increased hair growth or excessive hair loss. These drugs interfere with the ability of the child to learn and adapt to the environment around them. Ignorance from teachers can also affect epileptic students’ performance. Some teachers do not engage epileptic students in various class activities because they believe students with such conditions have a low potential of succeeding in education than other students. This influences the student’s development in academics, lower their esteem and lead to reduced expectations (Takahashi, 2008).
How to respond to an epileptic condition
Teachers cannot stop epilepsy from happening to students. Instead, it is important for them to have the knowledge of differentiating typical epilepsy and one that is considered as a medical emergency. They should have some first aid knowledge to handle an epileptic student in case of an attack in class. In case the student is experiencing non-convulsive epilepsy, the teacher should stay with the child and speak calmly, do away with any dangerous items near the student and should not restrain him or her. The teacher should then isolate the student from any dangers or hazards if present then later talk to the student for reassurance when the epilepsy is over. When a student is experiencing convulsive epilepsy, the teacher should protect him or her from any injury, for example by putting soft clothing under the head. Also, the teacher should loosen any tight clothing around the neck of the victim. In addition, he or she should not put anything in the mouth of the student but instead, roll the student on to one side to allow saliva drain away to keep the trachea clear (Deiner, 2010).
Teachers should allow the student remain calm in class until consciousness is back after first aid. The instructor should also allow the student to visit the restroom in case he or she lost bladder control during the attack. It is important for epileptic students to have extra clothing kept in school because most of them experience sudden falls on dirty or wet surfaces. As a result, teachers are advised to allow these students change their clothing. The teacher should also have some time with the student to explain the instructions that the student missed in class. Also, they should encourage positive reactions from the rest of the students by helping them understand what was happening to their fellow classmate (Deiner, 2010). Teachers can call an ambulance when convulsive epilepsy lasts more than five minutes and if the breathing does not return to normal after the epileptic attack is over. The teacher can also call an ambulance if the state of confusion lasts for more than an hour and if the student experienced epilepsy in water and, by any chance, inhaled water. This is an immediate response strategy for preventing lung and heart damage.
Helping epileptic children
Teachers should begin by identifying epileptic students in the classroom. In this case, they should be aware of the signs and symptoms presented by students experiencing epilepsy seizures. Teachers, for instance, should be aware that epilepsy may take place in different forms such as a sudden fall or a blank stare. It may involve movements that are purposeless such as pulling clothing or non-systematic chewing motions. Since it is very difficult to differentiate between epilepsy and unusual behavior in students, it is important for teachers to observe the behavior pattern of the learners ascertain whether or not they have epilepsy.
Some of the symptoms that can indicate that a student has epilepsy include loss awareness, memory gaps, fast eye blinking and repeated abnormal movements. Individuals with epilepsy also experience repeated kicking movements of the hands and legs, sudden falls, have stomach pains which later results in confusion and drowsiness. They complain about how certain things smell, sound, look or taste which lead to the student feeling strange and uneasy. Teachers are advised to report to the school nurse or the school administrators when they suspect any student of having epilepsy. They should also present a report to the student’s parents, explaining how they observed the behaviors of the student. They should also encourage the parent to mention these behaviors to their family doctor to help with the diagnosis process (Jan, 2012).
Generally, Teachers can help students with epilepsy through communication, offering support, creating a good learning experience and allowing participation in recreational activities.
Communication
Teachers have a significant role to play in helping students adapt to the school environment both emotionally and intellectually. Communication is one method of helping students with epilepsy. When beginning a new school year, it is advisable for teachers to have talks with students with epilepsy and their parents as well. They should discuss with the parents, the social and economic impact that epilepsy has on the student. This will help the teachers have knowledge of the medical conditions of the student and the type of first aid needed. It is also important that the school has all the medical records with the relevant information regarding the health condition of the student. Keeping open lines of communication between parents and the school through phone calls and meetings is very essential in assuring the well-being of the epileptic student (Blackburn, 2002).
Offering support
Teachers should provide support to students with epilepsy especially after they are diagnosed. They should do so because diagnosis may result in a mixed range of emotions such as low-esteem, anger, anxiety and feeling helpless. Students may also experience depression which can be a side effect of the medication. They can also become insensitive to others or have a fear of having an epileptic attack. Students fear to have an attack in public because most of them have ridiculed by others. As a result, they may be reluctant to taking their medication in the presence of other students as it would make them feel isolated. Teachers should, therefore, offer ongoing support and remain calm when a student experiences epilepsy as they influence the response of other students in class. When a student experiences an epilepsy attack, teachers should help by informing the right personnel, for example, the school nurse (Blackburn, 2002).
Educate other students
Sometimes students with epilepsy experience teasing and ridicule from their peers mainly because most of the students do not have knowledge of this condition. In fact, many students have a perception that epileptic students are mentally ill and can cause violence. It is important for teachers to create awareness and educate other students on how to manage such a condition. This will help reassure other students that epileptic students cannot cause any harm to themselves or other students. Also, it is important for teachers to tell students that epilepsy is not a condition that one can get from someone else. Many epilepsy associations visit schools to train staff members on how to handle epileptic students and educate the rest of the students (Blackburn, 2002).
Create a good learning experience
A school program and a teacher’s style of teaching have a significant influence on the ability of students to quickly adapt to the classroom environment. Teachers should have a generalized class where all students can interact freely, instead of having a specialized program for epileptic students. This is important as it motivates the epileptic students to realize their full potential in learning. To create a good learning experience for the student, teachers can use strategies such as helping them finish assignments and offering help in tests (Blackburn, 2002).
Allow participation in social, recreational and sport activities
Teachers should encourage epileptic students to socialize with other students as it helps in building their self-esteem. Providing epileptic children an opportunity to participate in sports activities is equally important because it helps in maintaining their health and their well-being. Sports activities such as volleyball and basketball are considered safe for epileptic students. However, it is important to take safety measures like wearing helmets to avoid head injuries. Teachers should include students in recreational activities like camps and field trips. In a case of any attack, teachers can request for aid support so that students with epilepsy can participate and enjoy like other students (Blackburn, 2002).
From the paper, it is clear that epilepsy negatively affects students’ academic performance. It is, therefore, important for teachers to acquire knowledge on how to handle epileptic students through offering support both mentally and academically. Some classroom accommodation can be implemented in schools to help do away with the academic challenges that students with epilepsy face. School administrators should build and maintain a partnership with parents to obtain valuable information on the weaknesses, strengths, educational and medical history of their children. It is this collaboration between teachers and parents that is useful in enhancing the learning experience of epileptic children.
References
Blackburn, L. B. (2002). Growing up with epilepsy: A practical guide for parents . New York, NY: Demos
Deiner, P. L. (2010). Inclusive early childhood education: Development, resources, and practice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Jan, M. M. S. (2012). Manual of child neurology: Problem based approach to common disorders. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Bentham eBooks.
Lee, G. P., & American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. (2010). Neuropsychology of epilepsy and epilepsy surgery . Oxford: Oxford University Press
Takahashi, K. (2008). Epilepsy research progress . New York: Nova Biomedical Books
