Epilepsy isn’t common, but it is a well-known illness. Unfortunately, epilepsy can begin when you are a child and carry on for life. Here are some ways you can heal your epileptic children.
Keep a Record of Events
It’s hard to describe seizures because of all the symptoms, and your child may not remember a lot of what happened. However, recording a video of a loved one can help. It’s excellent for your allocated neurosurgeon and nurses since they can see how your child is doing. It’s also helpful to keep a record of the type, time of day, duration, and what they were doing when the seizure started. Then you can use this information to look for patterns. This will help you identify the triggers and symptoms of an upcoming episode so you can prepare for when it happens.
Help Before, During, and After a Seizure
It can be a terrifying experience to witness a seizure for the first time. When you have a grand mal seizure, your body and face may seem to deform at an impossible angle. These are frightening for siblings to witness. And worse for your child experiencing a seizure if they have focal epilepsy. With focal epilepsy, the patient is aware of what is happening and cannot do anything about it. It is best to stay calm and provide assistance by making sure your child doesn’t hit their head on anything and sees a familiar face when the episode ends.
Help Your Epileptic Child with Comorbidities
Each patient’s issues are different. Perhaps your child’s epilepsy coexists with long-term depressive disorders like bipolar. For instance, sometimes depression happens before or after seizures. In these cases, you can think of them as early indicators of an incoming episode, kind of like how your child might describe auras. However, other mental problems can start days before, rather than minutes, and last for days afterward. Made worse by the debilitating effect of epilepsy itself, full episodes can be exhausting and debilitating for your child.
Assist them Through the Post-Ictal Stages
Following a seizure, your child might be “posy-ictal” for a period. This means they are basically recovering from what has happened. However, an episode can cause bodily injuries, extreme tiredness, and confusion. And the effects can last from hours to days. For an adult, this is frustrating. You can only imagine what it is like for a child. So, give your child some space and provide comfort. It’s possible they are embarrassed about their conditions, so try to limit the number of people in the room and make sure they are as comfortable as possible.
Help Other People Understand
Epilepsy can be viewed as another problem. People often assume epilepsy is caused by drugs or alcohol. Clearly, a young child won’t be drinking or taking drugs. However, people tend to be judgmental nonetheless. It is helpful to explain to others that your child is epileptic when a seizure happens in public. And ask them to give you some space. It’s also a good idea to explain that your child has a condition to siblings, cousins, and friends. And that they aren’t any different than anyone else. Sadly, children are more understanding than adults.
Summary
As a parent, it’s horrid to see your kids go through epilepsy. But you can help by recording episodes and making your child comfortable before, during, and after a seizure.