How to deal with epilepsy in children

As a parent when facing epilepsy in children, worry certainly does not stop covering your mind. Especially when you have to see convulsions. Even if it's hard, you have to stay calm and deal with epilepsy in children the right way. Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system or nerve cell activity in the brain. Children who suffer from epilepsy will show symptoms such as seizures, and sometimes also lose self-awareness, when an attack occurs. If left untreated, this condition can affect his development and learning abilities. So, how to deal with epilepsy in children? Here are the tips:

Prepare Medication Needs

Medication for epilepsy is not intended to cure but to control the symptoms caused by this disease. Therefore, always prepare medicines that are needed by your child. There are many types of drugs available to treat epilepsy in children. These medicines include:

• Phenytoin
• Carbamazepine
• Valproate
• Valproic acid
• Ethosuximide
• Topiramate
• Gabapentin
• Oxcarbazepine
• Zonisamide
• Lamotrigine
• Felbamate

These drugs have side effects such as dizziness, nausea, dizziness, double vision, rashes, and impaired body coordination. While side effects that rarely occur include hyperactivity, depression, and irritability. Each type and type of epilepsy will require different drugs. Therefore, it is important for parents to recognize the symptoms of epilepsy and immediately bring the child to consult a doctor, in order to get appropriate treatment and treatment. If your child has entered school, make sure he knows how to use the drug, such as the dosage and time to take it while at school. Also explain the condition of your child to the teacher and supervisor at his school.

Approach the Psychiatric Side

Children who suffer from epilepsy may experience emotional disorders, such as low self-esteem or depression. However, do not let it happen to your baby. To strengthen his mental condition, explain the ins and outs of the disease he suffered, such as what is epilepsy, what are the symptoms, and how to overcome them. Grow his confidence by saying that he can still do activities that he likes, but must be done carefully or need supervision. Help your child understand that 'being different' is normal, encourage him to continue to focus on what he can do. He also can still achieve, because epilepsy does not affect his intelligence as long as he is given treatment from a doctor. Also tell the conditions experienced by your child to all family members and friends, so that no words that could hurt him. Explain to them that epilepsy is not a contagious disease. So, there is no more reason to stay away.

Keep Safety

To avoid things that are not desirable, it is better to accompany your child when he is undergoing activities that could endanger his life in the event of seizures, such as swimming. Fear, his epilepsy recurred while he was playing in water. Or wear a headgear when he is biking and don't let him ride alone. When in the bathroom, tell him not to lock the bathroom door. If at any time he has a seizure, you can easily help him. Don't let the child get too tired and have a fever because this can lead to seizures.

When the child has a seizure

When a child has a seizure, you should not panic. Calm yourself so you can help it.

• Make sure he is safe.
• Keep him away from sharp objects, hard objects, stairs and furniture.
• After that, lay his body to the right or left so that the fluid in his mouth can come out and not enter the airway. Do not put any object in the child's mouth during the seizure, this condition can block the airway.
• During and after the seizure, monitor the child's condition whether he is breathing. If after a seizure, the child is not breathing, then immediately take the child to the nearest hospital emergency room.
• During and after the seizure is over, your child may be frightened and confused by the condition experienced. Calm him down by saying that all is well and that you are always by his side.
• Let him rest. Avoid giving additional medication, unless prescribed by a doctor.

Seizures are conditions that need to get a doctor's examination and treatment. Especially if it lasts more than five minutes and is accompanied by shortness of breath. Epilepsy in children does sound like something terrible. But with proper treatment, such as giving medicines and consulting a doctor regularly, as well as monitoring their activities, can reduce the risk of children being exposed to danger. If your condition worsens after taking medication, you can consult your doctor again to get new treatments or undergo therapy to control the symptoms of epilepsy in children.