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  ## Comprehensive Epilepsy Care Program for Children and Youth

# Patient Resources

 Explore Comprehensive Epilepsy Care Program for Children and Youth

 It is not always easy to diagnose seizures. Sometimes, symptoms of seizures are so subtle they are overlooked for a period of time. This is true of the staring seizures, absence seizures, and complex partial seizures. Seizures may also be confused with other problems such as fainting, sleep disorders, migraines, movement disorders, and psychiatric conditions.

After witnessing your child's first seizure, you may have trouble remembering the details. If it should occur again, try to recall the following information. When you get a moment, jot down the answers to these questions in a notebook. This will be helpful to your child's physician.

- Were there any warning signs or symptoms before the seizure started?
- What was your child doing just before the seizure?
- What time of day or night did the seizure occur?
- Was your child able to talk or follow directions during the seizure? Could you get your child's attention by tapping him/her on the shoulder?
- Did the seizure cause your child to fall or injure himself/herself?
- What did you notice about your child's eyes? Were they open or closed? Were the eyes turned up or to one side?
- Did your child's head turn to one side?
- Were there movements of the arms or legs? If so did one side move more than the other?
- How long did the seizure last?
- What happened while your child was recovering from the seizure? How long did it take for your child to recover from the seizure?

Videotaping your child during a spell (a generic term used to describe a change in behavior that may or may not be a seizure) can be very valuable to your physician in making a diagnosis.

You might also consider filling out this [observation tool](https://www.epilepsy.com/tools-resources/forms-resources/seizure-forms) from the Epilepsy Society.

## Safety Tips

After seeing a child's first seizure, parents commonly want to know how to keep their child from harm. It is important to remember that children with seizures have special safety concerns, but they also need to be given room to grow. When deciding what is safe for your child, try asking: what would happen if my child were to have a seizure during this activity? Are there ways that this activity could be safer for my child?

## General Tips

Reinforce the safety rules that are important for all children—with and without seizures—and consider what is best for your child’s needs and interests:

- Wear a well-fitted sports helmet for biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, or skiing. Speak with your child’s doctor about sports and outdoor recreation.
- Always buckle up seat belts in car, stroller, highchair, or wheelchair.
- Do not allow your child to walk in the woods alone.
- If your child is old enough to stay home alone or babysit, have your child ask a friend or family member of the same age or older to be with him or her.
- Do not allow your child to swim alone; make sure that an adult who is able to swim is present in the water with your child.
- Consider a MedicAlert bracelet or necklace. MedicAlert is a national database system that records your child’s critical medical and emergency contact information and makes this information accessible to emergency medical staff.

## In the Bathroom

- If you put your child in the bathtub, never leave him or her alone.
- For older children who prefer a shower, make sure the bathroom door is unlocked (if your child should have a seizure while in the shower, it is important that you are able to get in to the bathroom).
- Consider a shower seat and hand-held spray nozzle.
- Be sure that the drain is working properly.
- Place extra padding under rugs.

## Cooking

- Encourage microwave cooking, since it is the safest cooking method.
- When using the stove, turn pot handles in and use the back burners.
- When using the oven, use extra-long oven mitts.
- Use plastic dishes and cups when possible.
- Use rubber gloves when handling sharp kitchen tools.

## Sleepovers

- Review the symptoms of your child’s seizures and the seizure plan with the adult in the home.
- Be sure to pack the medication and stick to the medication schedule.
- Do not allow your child to sleep in the top bunk or too close to a fireplace or heater.

## Helmets and Gait Belts

For children who have frequent seizures that cause them to fall to the ground, helmets are recommended. There are many different types of helmets; your child’s physician can prescribe the appropriate helmet for your child.

Consider having your child wear a gait belt around the waist. Gait belts are special belts available from medical supply companies. If the child begins to fall, a supervising adult can help support more easily by grabbing firmly onto the belt.