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Childhood seizures Q&As

Published by Bupa's health information team, June 2009.

Answers to questions about childhood seizures

This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.

 

What should I do if my child has a seizure?

Generally, you should try to stay calm and protect your child from injury. Don't restrain your child during a seizure if he or she is jerking or twitching. Always stay with your child until he or she has fully recovered. If this is your child's first seizure see your GP as soon as possible. Below is advice on what to do if you know your child is having a specific type of seizure.

Explanation

If your child has a generalised tonic-clonic seizure he or she will lose consciousness, fall to the ground and begin having a fit. In this situation you should do the following.

  • Protect your child from injury, but don't try to hold him or her down.
  • Protect your child's head.
  • Put your child in the recovery position when the seizure has stopped and ensure that his or her breathing is normal.
  • Try to reassure your child calmly when he or she has regained consciousness.
  • Stay with your child until he or she has recovered.

Partial seizures and generalised myoclonic, atonic and absence seizures have similar suggested first-aid measures.

  • Guide your child away from danger, but don't try to restrain him or her.
  • Try to calmly reassure your child, particularly if he or she seems unaware of what is happening.
  • Stay with your child until he or she has recovered.
  • Explain anything to your child that he or she might have missed.

You should call for emergency help if:

  • it's your child's first seizure
  • your child continues convulsing for more than five minutes
  • your child has another seizure without recovering from the previous one
  • your child has been injured during the seizure
  • you believe your child needs medical attention

Further information

Sources

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Will epilepsy affect my child's education?

For some children having epilepsy won't affect their ability to do well in school, but others may need extra support. If you feel your child's epilepsy or medicine for controlling seizures is affecting his or her performance at school, you might want to talk to your child's teacher about your concerns.

Explanation

Around four out of five of children with epilepsy attend mainstream schools and universities without any problems. Most children with epilepsy are just as capable of learning as other students. However, epilepsy affects individuals differently and some children with epilepsy have behavioural problems or learning difficulties. For example, it's common for students with epilepsy to complain of a poor memory. Memory problems may be due to:

  • frequent and/or prolonged seizures
  • damage to the area of the brain responsible for memory
  • side-effects from older anti-epileptic medicines, causing a slowing of the mental process and subsequent memory problems

Emotional and social factors may also affect your child's behaviour at school. For example, some children with epilepsy are teased at school. This may be because other children don't understand epilepsy. Signs of bullying include nervousness, temper tantrums or sudden misbehaviour, such as playing truant. Talk to your child's teacher if you're worried and make sure your child knows he or she has your support and encouragement to stand up for themselves.

Knowing what your child's epilepsy is like can help when making decisions about his or her education. If your child has epilepsy you might want to tell the school about it and discuss what to do if a seizure happens. If you feel that your child needs extra support you can talk to his or her teacher or headteacher.

There will probably be a teacher at your child's school who is responsible for children with special educational needs. It's his or her role to work with you, your child, the school and the Local Education Authority (LEA) to identify and support your child's educational needs. This support may continue throughout further and higher education. To begin with, your child may be assessed by the LEA. A statement will be produced that describes all the help your child needs. This could include non-educational needs, such as transport to school. Long-term goals and arranging regular reviews of your child's progress will also be described.

Some students with epilepsy may be entitled to extra time in external exams under the Disability Discrimination Act. Make sure that your child's school is aware of this and applies in good time to the relevant examination boards.

Further information

Sources

  • Information on epilepsy: children and education. The National Society for Epilepsy. www.epilepsynse.org.uk, accessed 4 September 2008
  • Epilepsy in the classroom. Epilepsy Action. www.epilepsy.org.uk, accessed 4 September 2008
  • Epilepsy - a parent's guide. Epilepsy Action. www.epilepsy.org.uk, accessed 4 September 2008
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What is the ketogenic diet? Could this help control my child's seizures?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate protein, very low-carbohydrate diet that mimics many of the changes that occur in the body during prolonged starvation. The ketogenic diet may be a complementary medical treatment for children with difficult-to-control epilepsy and should only be used under the supervision of your doctor and a dietitian.

Explanation

The ketogenic diet was successfully used for the treatment of seizures in children during the 1920s and 1930s before the first anti-epileptic medicine was developed. As newer anti-epileptic medicines were introduced, knowledge of the diet faded. However, after the successful treatment of a child with difficult-to-control seizures was reported in 1994 there was renewed interest in the diet.

If your child is on the ketogenic diet around 90 percent of his or her calorie intake comes from fat. About one gram per kilogram of body weight is allowed as protein and minimal carbohydrates are eaten. Calories are individually calculated for your child and depend on his or her age and activity level. Most children don't gain or lose significant amounts of weight on the diet.

The diet works by stimulating the body's reaction to starvation. During starvation your body first uses its store of glucose and glycogen and then burns body fat. Glucose and glycogen come from carbohydrates. If no glucose is available, body fat can't be completely burned and substances called ketones are left over. Because the ketogenic diet limits carbohydrate intake so much, ketones begin to build up in your child's body. It's this high level of ketones that can potentially suppress your child's seizures.

The ketogenic diet has been successfully used to decrease, and sometimes stop, seizures for many children with difficult-to-control epilepsy. If your child is having more than two seizures per week and has tried two or more anti-epileptic medicines without much success, you may want to talk to your doctor about the ketogenic diet. A number of hospitals in the UK will consider the diet for a limited number of children. Don't try to change your child's diet without medical supervision.

Further information

Sources

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This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: June 2009

Childhood seizures factsheet

 

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