Your teenage son or daughter has a lot to juggle—even without the added challenge of epilepsy. Keeping up at school, friendships, relationships, after-school jobs, sports, and dating . . . it’s enough to tire anyone out. That’s why it’s so important to provide the support and encouragement your teen needs, while allowing him or her to be as independent as possible.
Your strongest impulse may be to protect your teen by limiting things like sports, travel, and after-school activities. And, you probably worry when he or she is out with friends, hanging out. Of course you do . . . you’re a parent. But don’t forget that there are hundreds of thousands of teens in the US who have epilepsy, and most of them can do all the things their friends do with proper precautions.
Generally, having epilepsy doesn’t mean your teen can’t take part in sports and activities like baseball, soccer, and basketball. Even swimming, bicycle riding, and gymnastics may be possible. Everyone is different, so talk to your teen’s neurologist about seizure control and how it might affect his or her ability to participate in sports and other activities.
Getting a driver’s license is a big step in every teen’s life. As your son or daughter’s friends get their licenses, it’s likely that he or she is feeling a bit left out. Be as sensitive as possible to the limits that seizures may place on your teen’s feelings of independence. Remind your teen that, when seizure control is achieved, it may be possible to get a driver’s license. Every state has its own laws on epilepsy and driving. Most states say that you must be free of seizures for a certain period of time; in most states it is 6 to 12 months. The Epilepsy Foundation offers a state-by-state database of each state’s driving restrictions and regulations. Look up your state’s regulations.
Your teen may feel uncertain about telling friends about his or her epilepsy; having seizures in front of friends is another big worry. Try to encourage your teen to be as open as possible with friends, teachers, and others . . . it’s an especially good idea if there’s a risk that he or she could have a seizure while they’re together. If friends know what to expect, they won’t be as alarmed when it happens.
If you and your teen decide it’s a good idea to notify teachers, the school nurse, coaches, and others about epilepsy, there are resources to help you do so. Visit EpilepsyClassroom.com for some ideas.
In spite of what you may have heard, playing video games generally doesn’t cause seizures in most people with epilepsy. Only the small number of people with photosensitive epilepsy can have a seizure when they see flashing lights. If your teen has photosensitive epilepsy, playing a video game could be a problem. If you’re concerned, ask your neurologist if your teen should avoid video games.
If you’re caring for a younger person with epilepsy—a child, preteen, or young teen—keep the lines of communication open. As a parent, you want to protect your children from becoming upset or frightened, so it’s a good idea to provide honest, age-appropriate information about his or her epilepsy and seizures.
Make sure your child feels free to ask you or a neurologist any questions he or she might have. You’d be surprised at some of the misperceptions your child may be worrying about! Reassure very young children that epilepsy does not pass from one person to another like a cold, so they shouldn’t worry about giving it to anyone else.
It’s a good idea to make sure your child or teen has medical information available if a seizure occurs when he or she isn’t accompanied by a friend or family member. With our Identification and Emergency Wallet Card (PDF 70 KB), your child or teen can fill in all of the appropriate information, and carry it everywhere.
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