World Health Day 2022: Tips for parents' selfcare and to manage epilepsy in kids

World Health Day 2022: A parent whose child is suffering from Epilepsy is constantly on guard, worrying about when the next seizure might step in as it is an unpredictable disorder where there is no certainty. Doctors share tips for parents' selfcare and to manage epilepsy in their children

Epilepsy is a brain disease where the brain circuits have abnormal firing and results in multiple symptoms of seizures, convulsions. It is caused by multiple reasons depending on the age of the person - in a new born, it can be due to a birth defect or an oxygen problem during delivery while in the slightly elder age group, it can be because of head injury or infection and at times it might be also due to a brain tumour.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Atma Ram Bansal, Associate Director - Epilepsy Programme at Medanta Hospital's Institute of Neurosciences, shared, “Epilepsy affects children in multiple ways. It can happen due to the risk of injuries caused during playing, effects of medications that cause sleepiness and dizziness. Epilepsy can happen at any age but seen most common during the teenage. About 1-5 per 1000 children gets affected by epilepsy. There is a range of seizures in children, some patients get 30-40 episodes in a day, the child becomes absent mind for a few seconds which can happen 30-40 times, known as absence epilepsy and some children face 1-2 episodes in a month.”

According to Gaura Lohani, Psychologist at Bee Hive Junior School and a Clinical Psychology Trainee in Department of Clinical Psychology at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital elaborated, “Epilepsy is an unpredictable disorder. There is no certainty when a seizure is about to arise. As a result, a parent whose child is suffering is constantly on guard worrying about when the next seizure might step in. This ambiguity creates a constant state of impending doom on the parents.”

Self-care tips for parents of children with epilepsy:

Psychologist Gaura Lohani advised, “To deal with the stress, the parents should educate themselves about their child’s needs. They are encouraged to read up on epilepsy, keep a track of their child’s seizure patterns and learn how to manage the symptoms at home. Building strong relationships with their significant other helps, so that both can lean on each other for support when things get overwhelming. Incorporating healthy habits like prioritizing their own sleep, nutrition and exercise can help them be energetic throughout the day."

She added, "Parents should practice taking out some time of their day on activities that they like such as going for a walk, cooking, writing out their feelings as it can help boost their mood. If things get out of control, they are encouraged to join a support group or take therapy. Most importantly, they need to let go of guilt and shame. They need to be kind to themselves, even if they’re confused or not as productive as they’d like to be, and practice self-compassion.”

Tips for parents to manage epilepsy in their children:

Given that Epilepsy is a common disease in children with varying causes and some seizure can last for a few seconds while others take minutes or hours to stop, Dr Puja Kapoor, Paediatric Neurologist and Co-Founder of Continua Kids, listed a few tips for the parents of children with epilepsy:

1. Don’t panic during an event of seizure.

2. Always have nasal spray of Midazolam, or rectal form of Diazepam, or oral Clonazepam available with the children, even during travelling. Any of the above stated medications can be used in case of emergency but nasal spray of Midazolam is preferred because of its convenience of delivery. Same should be available at school, with the school authorities and they should be aware about how to deliver it during an event of seizure.

3. The child should have an information leaflet about his condition and how to manage an acute attack of seizure, in his belongings, whenever he/she is moving out alone.

4. Don’t put anything in the mouth during the event. It is very important to not choke the child by putting anything in the mouth during the event. During the seizure, the child is unconscious and putting anything in the mouth has the highest chances of choking him/her.

5. Lateral positioning of the child is the preferred position of the child after the event of seizure. As the child is unconscious after the event, he/she may choke with his/her saliva, or tongue. To avoid such condition, lateral positioning is called the recovery position and the child should be positioned in the same condition after the seizure.

Adding to this list, Dr Atma Ram Bansal shared tips that parents should focus on to manage epilepsy in their children"

1. Proper diagnosis- An early diagnosis helps in treating epilepsy and prevents the condition to turn worse. Any child without a diagnosis of epilepsy, experiencing the first-time seizure needs immediate emergency medical attention.

2. Proper treatment- The parents should ensure that their child takes the medications regularly. The medications play an important role in treating the symptoms of epilepsy by reducing the frequency of seizures. If medications don’t work, doctors advise undergoing a surgery

3. Proper follow-up with the expert is essential to understand the level of the problem and to take timely interventions to counter the risks

4. Schooling and sports activities- Kids with epilepsy can participate in normal or typical activities with precautions. The school and the teachers should be informed if your child is suffering from epilepsy, a first aid kit and medications should be available in the school.