Lost, Confused, Not Sure Where To Go?

Written By Stacey Chillemi

There are different ways to help cope with your child’s disorder such as:

Read- find out as much as you can about epilepsy: such as:

·        What is epilepsy?

·        What medication is available?

·        What medication is use most for children?

·        What are there side effects?

·        What tests should I take my child take?

·        Keep a journal

·        Figure out how many seizures your child is having monthly

·        Write done what do they do during their seizures

·        Report each seizure to your doctor

·        Find out the lasted medical techniques available

·        Join support groups

·        It may be hard at first to reach out for help, but talk to other parents who have gone through similar experiences. This helps you feel that you are not alone and that you have other parents that understand what you are going through.

·        Do not be in denial.  Accept that your child has epilepsy.  Pretending that your child does not have epilepsy will only make matters worse. Sometimes, one parent will cope with their child’s epilepsy by learning everything there is to know on epilepsy, while the other parent remains motionless.  Holding all their emotions inside and making believe nothing is wrong.

Find out about the ketogenic diet - The ketogenic diet can help control some children with epilepsy and stop seizures without any medication.  It works very well in many children. It is strict diet and difficult to follow. In fact, it is so difficult to follow that most doctors recommend it only for children who have not been able to control their seizures.  The ketogenic diet is an extremely high-fat diet.  Your child would have to eat four times as many fat calories as calories from protein or carbohydrate. A meal might include a small portion of chicken, a little bit of fruit, and a lot of fat, mostly butter or cream.

Your child may start the diet in a hospital, so nurses and doctors can observe the first few days. Your child will probably need to go without any food for 36 to 48 hours before beginning the diet. After that, your child’s food is increased slowly over a few days. This diet does not provide all the vitamins a body needs, so your child will probably have to take sugar-free vitamin supplements.  This diet is not for everyone.  This is something you would have to discuss with your doctor.  This diet is not for everyone.

Every parent goes through a period (It is usually right after your child develops epilepsy) that you want to find someone to blame when your child is diagnosed with epilepsy. Some people blame themselves or someone around them that they see frequently to blame. This is very common.

Every parent has different ways of dealing with their child’s disorder.  Eventually, they will learn to accept they child’s disorder. However long it takes, most parents stop asking why and move forward.  Realizing that we cannot change the past.  The past is gone.  The present is now and what we do in the present will affect our child’s future.  We need to help your child adjust and get on with their lives.

The best ways of dealing with the challenges of having a child with epilepsy is keeping the lines of communication open. Listen to your child.  Show your child that you are interested in what he has to say. You do not need to understand, relate or like what they are saying. Just listen.

·        Speak to your spouse and close relatives about how you are feeling

·         Talk to your children about epilepsy and seizures

·        Take their concerns seriously and get outside help if necessary

·        Call the Epilepsy Foundation and tell them about your child’s concerns and yours and ask them to direct them to the people that can help

·        Let your child know that it is okay to feel frustrated or angry, and that he or she can talk to you about their feelings.

·        Do not let them feel different.   Make them feel like they are just like everybody else

·        How you deal with their disorder now will affect how they grow up

Children go through many similar feelings as their parents. When I was a child, I use to cry after a seizure because I wanted them to stop.  Depending on the age of the child and. the type of seizures they are having, they may experience fear, anger, worry or an overwhelming amount of emotion.

They may feel afraid of having a seizure in public, in front of their friends or in school. They may feel confused or anxious about having to attend medical appointments, undergo tests, take medications, or miss school or other activities when a seizure has occurred. Children may feel angry if they have an aura (a feeling before a seizure.)  They may get upset if they feel epilepsy is preventing them from taking part in activities with their friends.

Some children with epilepsy feel very isolated or different from their friends; being accepted by your friends is a crucial time in their development. It may be difficult in making close friends or they may not want to tell their friends about their seizures.

It is good to explain to your child that if someone wants to be your good friend that they are going to like you for whom you are and the are going to like everything about you.  If they do not then they are not a true friend and you do not want them as a friend.

Usually children with epilepsy develop low self-esteem because they feel different or not as good as the other kids do.   It may become worse if schoolmates think of them as weak or if they feel, overprotected by their families.  It is very important to make sure your child feels good about them and has high self-esteem. I cannot even begin to stress the importance of having high self-esteem; it is the key to having a healthy, productive life for your child.

        Make sure children loves themselves and accepts themselves and their disorder. Make your child understand that they need to be grateful of what they have and others may have it worse.  Give them some examples. You need to help them let go of all those angry emotions inside. If your child holds anger inside it will not help them, it will only hurt them. You need to show them how to think positively and focus on their accomplishments. You need to help them focus on the goals and dreams

You need to help your child believe in itself.  Help them develop a sense of pride in themselves. Tell them it does not matter what others think about them, what matters is how you think about yourself.

 

Tell your child not to feel sorry for them.  No one is perfect. Studies have shown that people who have negative attitudes are more like to live chaotic lives.  Many people have a hard time focusing on the positive because they allow their negative sides to consume them... I firmly believe that focusing on the negatives will causes seizures.
When you help, your child feels a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. You are helping your child to overlook the negative.

Confidence comes from our self-esteem. To have high self-esteem you need to help your child develop simple short and long term goals.  You need to help your child create direction in their life.  This will help them developed a greater sense of pride, inner strength and self-worth in themselves.

When your child has fears about seizures should address them right away and your child should feel that he or she could talk to mom or dad about any questions, concerns or worries.

It is important to not to focus completely on your child’s disorder and focus more on other positive characteristics of your child. Most children with epilepsy have the same concerns, desires, and dreams as other children.  They want to be like everyone else.  They do not want to be treated any differently.   

Most important do not forget to tell your child that you love them and how special they are to you.  Hearing those words from mommy or daddy means everything to them.  It gives them the strength to know that mommy and daddy loves them just the way they are can help a child and give that child the strength and ambition to lead a productive and wonderful life.

Tell your child that they brighten your day. Let your child know how much joy they bring into your life. Show them how special they are to you and make sure you point out all their good qualities.

The words I Love You, helps your child know that you love them unconditionally. You will love them even though they have epilepsy.  Explain to them that their seizures make them no different then anyone else.  That you love them no matter what.
 

A child developing epilepsy is a shock to everyone.  It places new demands on the family.  When one member of the family has epilepsy, everyone in the family is affected by the disorder.

There are different ways to help cope with your child’s disorder such as:

Read- find out as much as you can about epilepsy: such as:

·        What is epilepsy?

·        What medication is available?

·        What medication is use most for children?

·        What are there side effects?

·        What tests should I take my child take?

·        Keep a journal

·        Figure out how many seizures your child is having monthly

·        Write done what do they do during their seizures

·        Report each seizure to your doctor

·        Find out the lasted medical techniques available

·        Join support groups

·        It may be hard at first to reach out for help, but talk to other parents who have gone through similar experiences. This helps you feel that you are not alone and that you have other parents that understand what you are going through.

·        Do not be in denial.  Accept that your child has epilepsy.  Pretending that your child does not have epilepsy will only make matters worse. Sometimes, one parent will cope with their child’s epilepsy by learning everything there is to know on epilepsy, while the other parent remains motionless.  Holding all their emotions inside and making believe nothing is wrong.

Find out about the ketogenic diet - The ketogenic diet can help control some children with epilepsy and stop seizures without any medication.  It works very well in many children. It is strict diet and difficult to follow. In fact, it is so difficult to follow that most doctors recommend it only for children who have not been able to control their seizures.  The ketogenic diet is an extremely high-fat diet.  Your child would have to eat four times as many fat calories as calories from protein or carbohydrate. A meal might include a small portion of chicken, a little bit of fruit, and a lot of fat, mostly butter or cream.

Your child may start the diet in a hospital, so nurses and doctors can observe the first few days. Your child will probably need to go without any food for 36 to 48 hours before beginning the diet. After that, your child’s food is increased slowly over a few days. This diet does not provide all the vitamins a body needs, so your child will probably have to take sugar-free vitamin supplements.  This diet is not for everyone.  This is something you would have to discuss with your doctor.  This diet is not for everyone.

Every parent goes through a period (It is usually right after your child develops epilepsy) that you want to find someone to blame when your child is diagnosed with epilepsy. Some people blame themselves or someone around them that they see frequently to blame. This is very common.

Every parent has different ways of dealing with their child’s disorder.  Eventually, they will learn to accept they child’s disorder. However long it takes, most parents stop asking why and move forward.  Realizing that we cannot change the past.  The past is gone.  The present is now and what we do in the present will affect our child’s future.  We need to help your child adjust and get on with their lives.

The best ways of dealing with the challenges of having a child with epilepsy is keeping the lines of communication open. Listen to your child.  Show your child that you are interested in what he has to say. You do not need to understand, relate or like what they are saying. Just listen.

·        Speak to your spouse and close relatives about how you are feeling

·         Talk to your children about epilepsy and seizures

·        Take their concerns seriously and get outside help if necessary

·        Call the Epilepsy Foundation and tell them about your child’s concerns and yours and ask them to direct them to the people that can help

·        Let your child know that it is okay to feel frustrated or angry, and that he or she can talk to you about their feelings.

·        Do not let them feel different.   Make them feel like they are just like everybody else

·        How you deal with their disorder now will affect how they grow up

Children go through many similar feelings as their parents. When I was a child, I use to cry after a seizure because I wanted them to stop.  Depending on the age of the child and. the type of seizures they are having, they may experience fear, anger, worry or an overwhelming amount of emotion.

They may feel afraid of having a seizure in public, in front of their friends or in school. They may feel confused or anxious about having to attend medical appointments, undergo tests, take medications, or miss school or other activities when a seizure has occurred. Children may feel angry if they have an aura (a feeling before a seizure.)  They may get upset if they feel epilepsy is preventing them from taking part in activities with their friends.

Some children with epilepsy feel very isolated or different from their friends; being accepted by your friends is a crucial time in their development. It may be difficult in making close friends or they may not want to tell their friends about their seizures.

It is good to explain to your child that if someone wants to be your good friend that they are going to like you for whom you are and the are going to like everything about you.  If they do not then they are not a true friend and you do not want them as a friend.

Usually children with epilepsy develop low self-esteem because they feel different or not as good as the other kids do.   It may become worse if schoolmates think of them as weak or if they feel, overprotected by their families.  It is very important to make sure your child feels good about them and has high self-esteem. I cannot even begin to stress the importance of having high self-esteem; it is the key to having a healthy, productive life for your child.

        Make sure children loves themselves and accepts themselves and their disorder. Make your child understand that they need to be grateful of what they have and others may have it worse.  Give them some examples. You need to help them let go of all those angry emotions inside. If your child holds anger inside it will not help them, it will only hurt them. You need to show them how to think positively and focus on their accomplishments. You need to help them focus on the goals and dreams

You need to help your child believe in itself.  Help them develop a sense of pride in themselves. Tell them it does not matter what others think about them, what matters is how you think about yourself.

 

Tell your child not to feel sorry for them.  No one is perfect. Studies have shown that people who have negative attitudes are more like to live chaotic lives.  Many people have a hard time focusing on the positive because they allow their negative sides to consume them... I firmly believe that focusing on the negatives will causes seizures.
When you help, your child feels a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. You are helping your child to overlook the negative.

Confidence comes from our self-esteem. To have high self-esteem you need to help your child develop simple short and long term goals.  You need to help your child create direction in their life.  This will help them developed a greater sense of pride, inner strength and self-worth in themselves.

When your child has fears about seizures should address them right away and your child should feel that he or she could talk to mom or dad about any questions, concerns or worries.

It is important to not to focus completely on your child’s disorder and focus more on other positive characteristics of your child. Most children with epilepsy have the same concerns, desires, and dreams as other children.  They want to be like everyone else.  They do not want to be treated any differently.   

Most important do not forget to tell your child that you love them and how special they are to you.  Hearing those words from mommy or daddy means everything to them.  It gives them the strength to know that mommy and daddy loves them just the way they are can help a child and give that child the strength and ambition to lead a productive and wonderful life.

Tell your child that they brighten your day. Let your child know how much joy they bring into your life. Show them how special they are to you and make sure you point out all their good qualities.

The words I Love You, helps your child know that you love them unconditionally. You will love them even though they have epilepsy.  Explain to them that their seizures make them no different then anyone else.  That you love them no matter what.