Epilepsy is a common brain disorder that can cause recurring seizures. It can affect people of all ages, but older adults and children are more susceptible. As per estimates, around 3.4 million people in our country live with epilepsy, including 3 million adults and 470,000 children. As children and adults spend most of their time outside, it is imperative to know how to manage epilepsy and seizures and prevent complications.

Tips for managing seizures in schools
If a child has epilepsy, parents must work with the school to ensure their kids are cared for during school hours. Here are some tips for managing epilepsy and seizures at school:

Educate key school personnel
Teachers, administrators, students, and nurses are a pivotal part of the school ecosystem. Parents should visit the school and meet such individuals to discuss the child’s needs. They must be educated about epilepsy, its treatment, and, of course, seizure first aid. It helps ensure the child’s safety during school hours.

Avoid triggers
While at school, the teachers and staff should take sufficient care to ensure students prone to seizures are not exposed to potential triggers, such as bright lights. Keeping a record of identified triggers is an important tip for managing seizures in kids.

Parents can also take other steps to manage their child’s condition and ensure their well-being. Two methods include providing the student with a helmet for protection during seizures and buying a medical alert bracelet.

Tips for managing seizures at the workplace
Some work environments can possess potential hazards for people with epilepsy, so employers should ensure patients do not face challenges. Some tips that can be employed are:

Understanding the person’s condition
To manage the condition well, fellow employees must know the type, frequency, and duration of the patient’s seizures and if they have any musculoskeletal issues. Knowing the potential warning signs can also help take timely action.

Learning about their post-seizure requirements
Fellow employees should learn more about the patient’s recovery time and recovery preferences (need for sleep, desire for company, etc.). Employees should also be able to tell if calling for emergency help is required or if the in-house first aid team can handle the episode.

If one has epilepsy or another seizure-inducing condition, they must seek a doctor’s advice at the earliest to develop a treatment plan that works for them.