The Epilepsy Foundation Parents Website is a product of the Epilepsy Foundation epilepsyfoundation.org
Epilepsy affects people at all ages and stages of life. Each has its own issues and challenges.

Infants to Adults

Epilepsy affects people at all ages and stages of life. Each has its own issues and challenges. Knowing what to expect as your child grows can help you prepare and help your child during each stage.

For some people, epilepsy is a condition that requires treatment throughout their lives. Others, with medical supervision, are eventually able to stop taking medication and not have their seizures start again. These outcomes vary for each person, and are often related to the types of seizures and how a person responds to treatment.

Learn about special issues for:

 

Infants


Seizures occur most frequently during the first few years of life, during a time when the brain is going through its most dramatic growth and changes. Recognizing and (if needed) treating seizures as early as possible can help avoid learning and developmental delays. However, diagnosing seizures in infants can be difficult, as they cannot communicate what they are feeling after a seizure or during medical tests. Since seizures often don't happen in the doctor's office, it is extremely important that parents and caregivers observe any unusual behaviors and report them to their doctor.

One of the biggest challenges parents of infants or toddlers with epilepsy can face is childcare. Some day care centers will not admit children with epilepsy or refuse to give them emergency antiseizure medication, even though they may be required to do so by the Americans with Disabilities Act. See Day Care Options for more information about this.

Read more about infants and epilepsy, including causes, diagnosis and treatment options.

Children


As children get older, having epilepsy can impact many parts of their lives, including how they do in school, what sports they can play and how they are treated by friends. The more you can help your child lead an active, normal life, the better.

Getting involved, learning about epilepsy and meeting others with the condition helps families accept and live with it. A study by leading universities looked at how a parent's anxiety about the condition could hurt a child's development of social skills and independence.

Communication and raising awareness are key. Talk to your child about epilepsy. Help your child feel comfortable talking to others about it. Ask your doctor about different treatment options or if certain activities are safe. Meet with your child's teachers to discuss your child's progress and needs.

Consider sending your child to an Epilepsy Foundation camp for a week in the summer. It's not only fun, but a chance for your child to build self confidence and find support by meeting other kids with the condition. There are camps throughout the country and financial assistance is available.

Reach out to your local Epilepsy Foundation and other parents for more information and ideas.

Adolescents


The pre-teen and early teen years are difficult for everyone. It's a time of great change, new challenges and some dangerous temptations. When a child has epilepsy, the risks and insecurities that go along with this are increased. Talking with, watching and trying to understand your child will help both of you get through it.

  • Puberty — Changing bodies affect how kids look, feel and think. The changes in hormones can also affect seizures and medication needs, especially for girls. Talk to your doctor about whether your child might need a change in the amount or type of medication and any behavioral changes that you should be watching for. Here are some questions and answers you can share with your daughter about this.
  • Social Life — this is the time of life when friends, fitting in and dating may seem to be all a kid is thinking about. Being “different” in any way, such as having epilepsy, is not easy. While you can't make your child “popular,” you can help your child learn that having a few good friends is actually more important and figure out ways to develop such friendships. See the Raising Awareness section of this site for tips on how to talk to others about epilepsy.
  • Substance Abuse — alcohol and drugs are problems in all neighborhoods, in all parts of the country, at unfortunately younger and younger ages. This is dangerous for all children, but even more so for children who are prone to seizures and may be taking medication for epilepsy. Talk to your child about the risks. Then talk some more. Have your doctor and others whom your child respects talk too. Studies show that even if it seems as if your child is not paying attention, it may eventually sink in. Discuss not only the risks, but also ways to get out of uncomfortable situations. For help with this, visit TheAntiDrug.com, a website from the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.
  • School — With everything else going on, your child may seem less interested than ever in school. This is normal, but can lead to problems as it's likely that the schoolwork is becoming more demanding. Partner with your child's school to find solutions and extra support if needed. This could mean additional time on tests, regular meetings with teachers to make sure your child is staying organized and getting work done, or extra help with certain subjects. In some cases, you might need outside help in getting this support. Visit the At School section of this site to learn more.
  • Responsibility — Reading all this, it's tempting to want to give your teenager less, not more, responsibility. However, this is the time when kids need to learn to be more independent and that their actions have consequences. They are also spending more time away from you. Thus, as risky as it seems, it's a good idea to begin to give your child more responsibility for remembering to take medication. Read this website's section on Helping the Medication Work with your child for tips.

Links where you and your pre-teen or teen can learn more:

Entering Adulthood


Way too fast, children become adults. All of sudden, they face important decisions about their education, careers, relationships, etc. How much epilepsy affects those decisions varies greatly, depending upon people's success with treatment, their healthcare coverage and other factors.

Encourage your child to ask questions, seek solutions and try to live as independently as possible. Following are some links that you might want to share with your child:

Employment — while epilepsy does not prevent most people from being successful at work, discrimination sometimes does. Everyone should know what rights they have and have an opportunity to succeed in the workplace.

Relationships — epilepsy does not stop most people from dating, marrying or having a family, but they may need help learning how to talk about the condition, understanding the effect certain medications can have on sexuality and being aware of possible health risks during pregnancy.

Finances — Needing to know about health insurance, investment strategies, disability benefits, etc., are part of “growing up,” especially for someone with epilepsy. The more young adults know and understand about these things, the better.

Alcohol - Parties and social events can present special challenges to people with epilepsy. Large amounts of alcohol and many illegal drugs can cause seizures. Mixing alcohol with certain seizure medications can lead to a coma or even death. Even though they are not yet legally allowed to drink, teenagers should be aware of these risks. Anyone with epilepsy who plans to drink alcohol, even moderately, should check with a doctor first. Read more about the effects of alcohol.