School and Epilepsy

Secondary school is really busy, when even the best prepared struggle with time-management techniques. Having epilepsy might add to the struggle of coping with things at school, but it is important that you do not think of your epilepsy as a problem. Think of it as a minor hurdle in your life and try not to let it interfere with your self-esteem. Accept it; embrace it...so that others will accept it too. It is a part of you and though we hope you will be seizure-free in a few years, we want to equip you with all the support to help you take charge of your life. We are confident that your positive attitude and confidence will help you in your journey!

• It is best to inform your school and teachers. Disclose to them that you have epilepsy, keep them informed on how often you suffer from seizures, what actually happens, how long do the seizures last etc..  Providing the details will better equip the teachers to handle any situation. Also, they won’t mistake your absence seizures for day-dreaming! 
• Talk to your extra-curricular coordinator on the projects that you could do. Speak with the coordinator in confidence and keep him/her informed about your epilepsy. 
• Some videos/lighting can trigger seizures. Inform your teachers on anything specific that might trigger a seizure.
• Ask your parents to speak to your teachers about the side-effects of your medications (if any).

Telling Friends

It is best to inform your good friends about your condition. Though it might not be an easy conversation to have, remember your good friends will support you.  They will react in a more positive manner when they know the actual facts about epilepsy. It is to your advantage to provide them with the maximum information. Speak to them about how it affects you, ask them to surf our website. It is important that your friends understand that you don’t have a contagious disease. Just like some of them might have asthma or diabetes, you happen to have epilepsy.  Also, explain the basic first aid procedure for dealing with a seizure so they will be prepared.

• You don’t have to rush in and tell a new friend about your epilepsy. You can take your time and speak only to those friends with whom you are comfortable sharing. If you perceive a negative reaction, speak to your teacher/ social worker. Don’t let one person’s negativity bring you down. 
• Negative reaction could also be caused by ignorance. Providing more information or encouraging them to visit our website (www.enlightenhk.org) might help. 
• Despite all the epilepsy awareness that is provided, some students are just mean and might tease you at school following a seizure. 
• Understand that it is not your fault that you had a seizure. It is beyond your control and don’t let their teasing affect you. 
• Speaking to your school principal, social worker or teachers will help towards better handling of the school bullies.

Communicating with your family

With Parents

• Your parents would have travelled with you on your journey with epilepsy. Right from the first meeting with the doctor, they would have worked hard at understanding more about epilepsy to support you towards leading a normal life. Or if you have been recently diagnosed with epilepsy, there is also a possibility that you might be in denial and do not want to discuss epilepsy with your parents.  Or your parents might prefer to hide about your epilepsy from your family and friends. They might be in denial or they might worry that you might be treated differently.
• Open communication, the best tool for any teenager-parent relationship, is all the more important if you have epilepsy.   If your parents are hesitant to discuss your epilepsy, you need to educate them. Witnessing your positive attitude might encourage them to be more open about your condition with other family and friends.
• It is common for many parents to be protective of their children and many do swerve towards being over-protective if their child has epilepsy. If your parents are over-protective, then you might need to explain your viewpoint to your parents. It is a known fact that most parents of teenagers worry about their child being irresponsible or making poor choices in life. Combine this typical worry with your seizures and it leads to a manifold increase in their worry for your health and your future. 
• Some of you might strongly believe you are no different from other teenagers and might not worry about your safety.  It is crucial that you establish a relationship of trust with your parents. They need to be assured of you being clued-in about your condition and being responsible enough to handle it.
• Just as you might want your parents to trust you and treat you like an adult, it is equally important for you to behave like an adult to gain their trust. 

Remember, just like being a teenager is not easy, being a parent of a teenager is not easy either!

With Siblings

• If your epilepsy is recently diagnosed, your siblings might struggle to understand how this affects you and your relationship with the family. Talking about it openly with each other is again the key to ironing out any concerns. 
• If you have younger siblings, you might need to discuss with your parents on the magnitude of information to provide. You might not want to unnerve them, but it is equally important that they are knowledgeable and understand enough about epilepsy to deal with your seizures.  It might be hard for you to be positive about life with epilepsy, but your siblings can be an excellent support system helping you live life fully with epilepsy.
• Some parents tend to treat their child with epilepsy differently. They might insist that you are incapable of taking care of yourself or might compare you negatively with your siblings. This is again done out of both ignorance as well as over-protectiveness. Open communication is again the main solution. 
• Ask your doctor/social worker/Enlighten staff to speak to your parents/siblings if you are uncomfortable about talking to them directly.

Alcohol and Epilepsy

• The legal age for drinking alcohol is 18 years of age in Hong Kong.
• Alcohol can interfere with the absorption of anti-epileptic medications.
• Consumption of alcohol can cause alcohol withdrawal seizures about 6-72 hours after a binge drinking (3 drinks or more).
• Since every person’s response to alcohol is varied, it is important for you to discuss with your doctor prior to consumption of any alcohol (once you reach legal age!).

Dating and epilepsy

Are you worried about dating? Are you worried if you might have a seizure when on a date? 

• It is perfectly normal to be apprehensive. Dating can be a daunting prospect for any teenager and even more so for a teenager with epilepsy. 
• It is up to you to decide if and when you are comfortable talking about your epilepsy to your date. Would you prefer to discuss your epilepsy with your date? If yes, would it before your date, after your date or during your date?
• It is also perfectly normal for your date to have questions. You can help him/her by discussing epilepsy in general and what happens to you during a seizure.  

 Sports and Leisure with Epilepsy

• You might have to take some extra care, but generally speaking having epilepsy does not stop you from playing any sport. In fact, Enlighten Hong Kong’s founder patron, Tom Smith, is an international rugby player.
• Playing team sports like football, basketball, tennis etc., is a great way to keeping your body healthy and reduce stress. But, you have to ensure that your seizures are well-controlled and your team-mate/friend/coach is aware of the first-aid procedure should you have a seizure.
• You can even swim in the pool if your seizures are well-controlled and there is direct supervision. You need to ensure there is a life-guard on duty, who is aware of your condition. It is preferable to have a friend swimming with you.
• It is usually best to avoid extreme sports like scuba diving etc., it is very important to discuss further with your doctor before you decide to try any of the extreme sports.
• It must be remembered that epilepsy affects everybody differently. You need to speak to your doctor about your condition and discuss the dos and don’ts with him/her first.

University and career

• Many teenagers spend many a sleepless nights worrying about their further education, their choice of university, the costs involved, their career path etc. If you add epilepsy to the growing list of worries it might mean that you need to be doing some more extra thinking.
• If your epilepsy is well-controlled and you are keen on studying further, there is no reason why you cannot attend a university of your choice.
• What you need to do is have a detailed discussion with your parents and your doctor before you embark on your choice of university. 
• Career planning is crucial to every young adult and you are no different. Most career choices should be open to you, but you need to ensure that the choices you make are safe and suitable for you. Be honest with yourself!
• Consult with your career counsellor and doctor. Having epilepsy might restrict some of the options like being a bus driver, lifeguard, fireman, chef or working with machinery. If being a chef is your dream job and your seizures are not well-controlled, then speak to your counsellor, who can point you towards other job options in a restaurant/hospitality industry.
• But don't let epilepsy limit your thinking..Don't let it limit your life!

Being Independent

• You are 19 and might want to live independently with complete freedom, just like some of  your friends
• You need to be truthful and ask yourself few important questions: Do you comply with medical advice and treatment? Can you cook at home? How safe is it? Would you prefer to use only microwave ovens? Can you travel on your own? 
• In many countries, you can get a driver’s license if you are seizure-free for a few years. But according to Hong Kong’s Transport Department, those with epilepsy are not eligible for a driver’s license. (http://www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/licences_and_permits/vehicle_and_driving_licences/how_to_apply_for_a_driving_licence/appendix_a/index.html).  
• However, it should be noted that Hong Kong is one of the very few countries with an excellent public transport system.

Mum/Dad has epilepsy

• You can support your parents by reading and understanding more about epilepsy. Your support will help your parents deal with the situation in a more positive manner.
• If your mum/dad suffers from a seizure remember, it does not hurt them. They are not in pain when they have a seizure as long as they don’t fall down and bump into something and hurt themselves.
• Try not to panic when you see your parent having a seizure. Equip yourself with complete first aid knowledge. Comfort them, speak to them gently, hug them...show them you care!
• You can help explain your parent’s epilepsy to your younger siblings and educate them on reacting to a seizure.
• Some of you might be scared for your parents, you might have heard about SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) and might be tempted to constantly surf the internet for more information. Though information is useful, too much information is a scourge. Speak to a counsellor, social worker or to our staff at Enlighten if you are very worried. They can help put things into perspective and put your mind at ease.