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Children with epilepsy

What happens when your child has a seizure? The British Epilepsy Association explains what to do and the treatments available

If your child has developed epilepsy, you are not alone. One in two hundred children in the UK have the condition. In the past, people with epilepsy faced a great deal of prejudice but attitudes are changing and there's also a good chance that the condition can be controlled. In fact, eight out of ten children who have the condition lead trouble-free lives.

What happens?

A seizure is caused by a temporary change in the way the brain cells work. Think of the brain as a computer with a network of nerve cells, which fires billions of electrical messages around our bodies, controlling everything we think, feel or do. Usually the messages travel between nerve cells in an orderly way. But sometimes without warning, an upset in brain chemistry scrambles the messages. When this happens the neurons fire off faster than usual and in bursts. This disturbed activity triggers a seizure.

During a seizure children may black out or experience jerking movements. It only lasts a matter of seconds or minutes, then the brain cells return to normal.

What to do

It can be very frightening to see your child having a seizure. You’ll need to describe what happened to the doctor so try to stay calm and be observant.

DO:

• Loosen any tight clothing around the neck
• Protect the child from any sharp objects. If they’re having a partial seizure, guide them away from danger.
• If the child falls, cushion their head.
• Aid their breathing by gently placing the child on his or her side.
• Stay with the child until they are fully recovered. Reassure them quietly.

DON’T:

• Try to restrain the child.
• Put anything in their mouth or force anything between their teeth.
• Try to move the child unless they are in danger.
• Give the child anything to drink until they have fully recovered.

We still don’t know the cause of epilepsy. We do know that most children with the condition have the same range of intelligence and abilities as unaffected children. Some have physical or mental problems as well as seizures, which may be linked to brain damage or disease.

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