Three out of four children with epilepsy have very mild cases. These children often outgrow epilepsy as they grow older. Children with ongoing seizures requiring medical treatment respond to drugs and lead active, productive lives.

Cases of intractable or drug resistant epilepsy, however, present a real challenge to the child, the family and the clinician. In some of these cases, seizures may be associated with motor problems or developmental delay.

Each family member may respond differently to having a child in the family with seizures. Some of the usual feelings may be confusion, guilt, fear, loss, inadequacy, anxiety, disbelief, shock, shame and embarrassment. Having a family member with seizures can be overwhelming. Appointments with physicians, diagnostic tests, medications and their side effects, unfamiliar medical terms and the unpredictability of seizures may often cause stress. Each family member, depending on their previous experience with seizures, may cope differently with their feelings. Sometimes these feelings can become problematic, interfering with relationships and day-to-day life. Should this occur, parents may want to consider talking with a professional epilepsy counsellor. It is usual to seek counselling should you want help to work through feelings about your child's epilepsy.

When a child has seizures, parents may be more worried about their child having a seizure. Sometimes, in an effort to be a good parent or to be loving and helpful, parents try to do too much for their child. This can get in the way of a child's natural desire and ability to achieve these milestones successfully.

When a child has seizures, parents may become nervous about their child's efforts to do these things. They may find it difficult to allow their child the increased independence that is so important at this stage. By doing so, they send the message "I know that you cannot do this by yourself and that you are not all right without me."

Brothers and Sisters: When there is a child with seizures in the family, there are certain things that have to happen around the management of the seizure disorder. For example, there are doctor's appointments to attend and medications to be given. Another interruption to daily life is the caring involved when a child has a seizure. As well, parents may be called into the school to pick up the child because of a seizure. In this way, family routines are disrupted, outings are sometimes cancelled or postponed, as are plans for special one-to-one time with siblings. Seizures, by nature, are unpredictable.

When planning family outings, it may be helpful to create a back-up plan(should a seizure occur) that considers the following.

• How can brothers and sisters help during and after a seizure?
• Can your child resume activity after the seizure?
• If not, who will tend to the child after the seizure, while other family members continue with their trip to park, birthday party, picnic, or camping?
• Under what conditions would it be necessary to cancel or end an outing prematurely?