Childhood epilepsy is the most common paediatric neurological disorder. It is a condition with a well-documented association with cognitive, behavioural and emotional difficulties. Children with epilepsy are at increased risk of global and specific cognitive impairments. They are also at increased risk for symptoms associated with attention…

Dravet syndrome, or as it was called in the past "severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy", is a drug-resistant epilepsy first described by Charlotte Dravet in 1978. Besides the well-known and well-described therapy resistance, Dravet syndrome dramatically impacts the development and behaviour of the affected children. As it is still not a curable…

This is a six part article intended to give parents the information and strategies they need to cope with their child with epilepsy who may have school learning problems. Epilepsy and seizures affect the classroom in unique ways that can make the learning experience especially challenging for some kids. Fortunately, much can be done to give the…

This is the fourth in a series of four articles about how to tell others about a child's epilepsy. If a child has epilepsy, parents will be confronted with the need to tell the parents of their child's friends about their child's epilepsy. This can be exceedingly difficult for a parent the first few times. Parents can make their world safer for…

When a teenager or child of any age develops seizures, the impact on the family can be enormous. Worries and fears may affect everyone, and left untreated, crises can occur too easily. This article explores the way that epilepsy can affect family dynamics. Common factors that may contribute to family stress and patterns of coping will be…

Epilepsy has one of the worst social outcomes for child development of the common disabilities. For most children, epilepsy is not nearly the physical challenge that many other chronic health disorders are. The problem in raising a child with epilepsy is much more emotional and social. In this first part of a three-part article series, the author…

Epilepsy is the most misunderstood of all neurological disorders known to man. Even though modern medicine (a very recent development in human history) learned that epilepsy was a common variation in biology, the roots laid down by centuries of misunderstanding have yet to be pulled from the society's social consciousness. While medicine and now…

Some teenagers with epilepsy only have to deal with seizures, which can be tough enough, but for other teens, seizures are not the only problem. Parents and caregivers often report changes in their teens' abilities to think clearly, learn in school, or remain focused in class. Mood and other behavioral problems may also be seen. It is critical…

In this final article in the series of 3 on "Raising a Child with Epilepsy, Coping with Guilt," readers will discover how culture attacks the emotional well being of parents of children who have epilepsy. Guilt, like fear and stigma, unconsciously influences childrearing decisions for the worse. However, in the case of guilt, most of the damage…