Epilepsy 101
Raising awareness about epilepsy is essential for fostering understanding, reducing stigma, and improving access to care and support. Only through better understanding can we create a more inclusive and supportive environment.
Epilepsy Education
Our Education Sessions are designed to teach individuals, families, and groups about epilepsy, its causes, types of seizures, how to identify seizures, seizure first aid, and much more. From schools to skyscrapers, we’d love to visit your community and present one of our customized educational sessions about epilepsy. These sessions are free, usually an hour long, and can make a world of difference for someone with epilepsy.
Request an Education Session
Fill out our simple online form, and one of our Counsellor & Educators will book your session today!
What People Are Saying About Our Education Sessions:
Watch Jennifer Labelle, Counsellor & Educator, present Epilepsy 101.
Epilepsy Education in School
Outside of the home, the school is one of the most important places to a child. It’s where they learn, grow and become the people they’ll be for the rest of their lives. When a child has epilepsy, informed teachers and school staff are absolutely integral to ensuring the school continues to be a place that can enhance the physical and mental well-being of that student. To help make sure students thrive in our schools, we offer education sessions for staff and student groups at absolutely no cost. And By ensuring teachers, students and support staff are well-informed they can all work together to achieve the following:
Or maybe you’re looking for a little more information or a school kit?
Either way, we’re here to help.
Webinars: Learn and Connect
Seizure Action Plan
Seizure Action Plans are an important tool for people who experience seizures. They help organize important information about your epilepsy including emergency contact information, what your seizures look like, how frequently they occur, how to respond when one happens, and when to call 911 – all in one place.
Why is it important to have a Seizure Action Plan?
A Seizure Action Plan describes your seizures and the care you need in a clear, concise way. It can help prevent an emergency or guide others during one and allows your loved ones to play in central role in your seizure management. Create multiple Seizure Action Plans for different situations in your life to communicate your needs to friends, co-workers, teachers and others.
Your success in managing epilepsy will depend on being prepared to tackle whatever comes your way – from understanding your epilepsy and maintaining seizure control to responding to seizures and managing your safety. Creating a seizure plan is one way of improving your safety and increase the confidence to respond in those you interact with.
When you’re prepared, seizures – or the fear of seizures – won’t prevent you from living well with epilepsy.
Download the form below and create your personalized Seizure Action Plan today. Contact us if you need help completing yours.
SAP Download
Adult
Youth
Seizure First Aid
What do you do when you’re present during a seizure? Well, we have some specific advice depending on the seizure – and we’ll get to that, we promise – but if you remember even just these three things, you’re well on your way to providing the care and support needed.
First aid for seizures isn’t complicated: protect the person from harm when they aren’t able to do so themselves, and trust these three guidelines.
Remain With the Person
Do Not Restrain the Person
Remain Calm
Easy to say, harder to do. But this is easily one of the most important things you can do for the person and everyone around you. Staying calm, recognizing what’s happening and responding appropriately to a seizure will reduce minimize its effect, prevent misunderstandings and protect the dignity of the person experiencing it.
The Recovery Position
If you’ve done first aid training – or maybe even babysitting training when you were a kid (ok, we’re stretching now!) – you’ll remember this position. Moving the individual into this position will allow fluids to drain from their nose and throat, meaning they aren’t inhaled.
That’s good news. One thing, to remember though:
DO NOT use this position if you think back or neck injury has happened.
When to Call an Ambulance
An uncomplicated seizure (convulsive or not) in someone who has epilepsy is usually not a medial emergency. In other words, stay calm because most seizures are self-limiting and naturally stop after a few minutes. In most cases, the person will be back to normal after a brief rest period.
That said, there are some clear guidelines on when you should get to dialing 911:
- If the person has no medical identification and you’re not sure if they have epilepsy
- If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes
- If another seizure happens without a full recover or return to consciousness in between
- If the person is pregnant, injured or another medical condition may be implicated
- If consciousness does not return after the seizure
First Aid for Generalized Tonic-Clonic (Convulsive) Seizure
- Protect the individual from nearby hazards and move them to a horizontal position if possible.
- Protect their head from injury by placing something soft, like a sweater, under it.
- Time the seizure.
- When the seizure ends, turn the person onto their side in the recovery position to keep their airway clear.
- Reassure them by speaking in a calm and friendly manner.
- If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes or a second seizure begins without a recovery period, call for an ambulance.
- Stay with them until they are fully re-oriented. Use standard questions to help determine if they have regained awareness.
- Keep a blanket nearby in case of loss of bowel or bladder control to maintain privacy and dignity.
What Not To Do:
- Do not restrain their movements.
- Do not put anything in their mouth.
- Do not raise your voice or appear threatening.
- Do not use artificial respiration or CPR unless breathing doesn’t resume after the convulsions stop.
- Do not leave them alone unless you are sure they are fully re-oriented or in the care of another responsible individual.
First Aid for Focal Impaired Awareness Seizure (formerly Complex Partial Seizure)
- Speak calmly and reassuringly.
- Gently guide them away from obvious hazards.
- Stay with them until they are fully re-oriented or in the care of another responsible individual.
- Use standard questions to re-orient them to their environment.
- If confusion is prolonged, call for an ambulance.
What Not To Do:
- Do not restrain or interfere with their movements.
- Do not raise your voice or appear threatening.
- Do not expect them to respond during the seizure.
- Do not interpret struggles or other behavior as consciously directed or aggressive.
- Do not leave them unassisted unless you are sure they are fully re-oriented or in the care of another responsible individual.
First Aid for Focal Aware Seizure (formerly Simple Partial Seizure)
- Observe behavior and provide reassurance if they are frightened or confused.
First Aid for Absence Seizure
- Provide any missed information.
- Provide a partner to assist the child in keeping up with in-class activities.
- Provide reassurance if needed.
What Not To Do:
- Do not berate or disparage the child.
First Aid for Atonic and Tonic Seizure
- Reassure the person and check for injuries.
First Aid for Myoclonic Seizure
- Provide reassurance.
Epilepsy in the Workplace
Finding a job, keeping it and excelling at it is a challenge for just about every single person in the world. Except for maybe whoever dresses up as Harvey the Hound. He gets to go to every game and everyone loves him. That seems like a pretty easy gig.
But aside from that, the workplace can be tough – and especially so for people with epilepsy. It’s not just a challenge, it’s integral to offering the ability to be a self-sufficient, contributing member of the community.
Fear, ignorance and plain old misinformation can often create significant difficulties in the workplace for people with epilepsy – with potentially devastating consequences, such as job loss. To make matters worse, that level of stress can increase seizure frequency.
It shouldn’t be that way. And it doesn’t have to be.
Education Sessions for Workplaces
Sessions ranging from 45 to 180 minutes are provided free of charge and cover the basics of epilepsy, seizure recognition, and first aid.
Do you have to tell anyone?
Finding a job, keeping it and excelling at it is a challenge for just about every single person in the world. Except for maybe whoever dresses up as Harvey the Hound. He gets to go to every game and everyone loves him. That seems like a pretty easy gig.
But aside from that, the workplace can be tough – and especially so for people with epilepsy. It’s not just a challenge, it’s integral to offering the ability to be a self-sufficient, contributing member of the community.
Fear, ignorance and plain old misinformation can often create significant difficulties in the workplace for people with epilepsy – with potentially devastating consequences, such as job loss. To make matters worse, that level of stress can increase seizure frequency.
It shouldn’t be that way. And it doesn’t have to be.
Yes
If the disability or condition is going to affect job performance, it should disclosed (i.e to allow for reasonable accommodation).
No
If the disability or condition does NOT affect job performance, it does not have to be disclosed.
Deciding When To Disclose?
Tips For Disclosing Epilepsy To An Employer
During an Interview
Advantages
- Honesty, peace of mind
Disadvantages
- Possibility of discrimination and disqualification
When the job is offered but before beginning work
Advantages
- Honesty
- Opportunity to discuss in person reduces risk of discrimination
Disadvantages
- Risk that focus may be on epilepsy rather than ability to do job
After you start
Advantages
- Opportunity to prove yourself on the job prior to disclosure
- Opportunity to provide relevant information
Disadvantages
- Fear that a seizure may occur
- Fear of discrimination
- Fear that peers will be unable to respond
After a seizure on the job
Advantages
- Opportunity to prove yourself first
- Opportunity to educate others
Disadvantages
- Fear of discrimination
- Fear that perception of others will change
- Fear of misunderstanding by others
Never
Advantages
- Employer cannot discriminate as long as seizure does not occur
Disadvantages
- Risk of discrimination if a seizure occurs
- Fear that a seizure may occur
- Safety concerns