Hi there, my name is nurse Robbie and on behalf of the Epilepsy Foundation, I want to answer
some common questions about what it's like to have epilepsy in school.
School can be a complicated place, but when you have a chronic condition, there are even
more things to consider.
Did you know that one in 200 kids in school has epilepsy?
That's quite a lot of people just like you.
And so it's important to know that you are not alone in this.
Let's answer some of your burning questions.
What exactly is epilepsy, epilepsy is a neurological condition, which means it affects the brain.
Epilepsy causes seizures that occur randomly, and there are over 60 different types of seizures,
some of them mild, some of them more severe, and not everybody necessarily experiences
all the different types.
People get epilepsy for a lot of different reasons.
So it could be genetic, or it could be due to an injury or an infection, which may have
actually happened ages ago and then later resulted in epilepsy.
Epilepsy is really different for every person, and so it's important that you know, heaps
about your epilepsy, like your pattern of seizures, and as much as you can about the
medication that you're taking, if you're taking any medication at all.
This will help you teach heaps to the people around you about epilepsy and bust any myths
that your teachers, friends or peers might have learned.
Do I have to tell my school that I have epilepsy?
Whether you tell you a school or not is up to you, and it should be a conversation that
involves your parents or guardians and also your doctor.
That being said, if it seems likely that your epilepsy might put you in danger at certain
school events, then your school will need to know about this.
There are a lot of ways to let your school know, it could just be a private conversation
between your parent or guardian and the principal, or you could consider the epilepsy Smart Schools
Program, which is an amazing resource to help teachers understand more about epilepsy and
how to manage it.
There are great resources you can share with them, or you can even host an event at your
school so that everybody gets educated about epilepsy.
Even if you don't want to tell people about your epilepsy, you could still get an event
happening through the epilepsy Smart Schools Program.
What do I tell my friends?
This can be a hard conversation, because there is still a lot of misunderstanding around
epilepsy, and so you might have to explain a lot and debunk a couple myths as well.
That being said, having supportive friends can make the world of difference to your lived
experience of epilepsy, and most people react completely fine when you tell them Epilepsy
Australia can link you to local organizations in your area, and so you can chat about this
and talk about the pros and cons of telling people and get heaps of support as well.
If you do tell your friends or classmates about your epilepsy or they see you having
a seizure and they react badly, then please know that there is nothing wrong with you.
It's not about you, it's about them.
Sometimes people say hurtful things or bully people because they're ignorant, which means
they don't understand or aren't aware of what epilepsy means.
This happens to other people as well, including students with mental health issues, other
chronic conditions, disability or lgbtqi students.
Do I qualify for special considerations for exams and assignments?
If your epilepsy or the medication that you're taking to prevent seizures impacts your ability
to do your schoolwork or exams, then you should be able to get special considerations.
This might be extra time in an exam or an extended assignment deadline.
It might mean taking breaks during an exam and maybe sitting the exam in a different
room.
People need special considerations for all sorts of different reasons.
So if your epilepsy is impacting your ability to concentrate or do your schoolwork, then
please don't be ashamed to ask for help.
That's fair.
If you think this is something that you need, then you and your parents or guardians need
to talk with your teacher and the school who are usually really open, supportive and want
to find ways to help you.
Will I ever be able to drive?
If your epilepsy is well controlled and you haven't had a seizure for a long time, then
you should be able to drive a private vehicle.
Each state has different requirements around this and your GP and your parents or guardians
are a great place to start this conversation about driving.
Whatever you do, don't hide your epilepsy during a license application.
This can have serious legal consequences, but it can also put your health and safety
in danger as well.
If I drink alcohol, will I have a seizure?
Well first of all, I need to say that drinking alcohol is illegal for anyone under 18.
Of course, there is a lot of pressure as a young person to drink or take drugs, and if
you find yourself in this position, it's really important to understand how these things might
impact your epilepsy before making any decisions.
Some medications will interact badly with alcohol and other drugs which could lead to
a seizure, and some people with epilepsy have said that when they drink or take drugs, it
leads to them feeling really unwell and eventually having a seizure.
It's really individual.
For some people drinking is an absolute no, and then for others, they're absolutely able
to enjoy a drink or two.
You should chat to your doctor or your local epilepsy organization to get a good understanding
of your medication, how it interacts with alcohol and any risks involved in drinking.
Does epilepsy affect taking birth control like the pill?
If you're having sex or thinking about having sex, then you also need to be thinking about
your sexual health and safe sex practices, and for some people this involves birth control.
The contraceptive pill is a really effective method of birth control, meaning your risk
of pregnancy is almost nil.
However, some anti epilepsy medications can actually interact with the pill, making it
less effective and increasing the risk of pregnancy.
If you or your partner are taking the pill and also anti epilepsy medication.
Make sure you chat to your doctor or nurse about how they might be interacting.
Handling all of this on your own can be really overwhelming.
Did you know that there are some amazing online resources that you can give to your parents,
guardians, carers, teachers and the school.
The more information that the adults in our lives have about epilepsy, especially our
teachers at school, the more confident you can be that you don't have to manage all of
this on your own.
There are also great online resources for you to learn more, including getting to listen
to other people's stories and how they manage their epilepsy at school.
Head to the Epilepsy Foundation's website to find all of these resources or head to
nurse Robbie dot com where I have heaps of amazing resources on epilepsy thanks to the
Epilepsy Foundation.
There's something I always tell people, and it's a really good motto to remember when
you're managing your epilepsy at school and in life.
There's no health care without self care, so don't be afraid to look after yourself.