One in 10 Americans will have a seizure at some point in their life. It can take place at any time, in any place. Education and awareness are the best ways to make sure our community is safe for all individuals with epilepsy. As such, the EFEPA is proud to offer epilepsy first aid and awareness trainings to your school to educate students, teachers, school nurses, and administration. These programs are free of charge and are conducted by an EFEPA Staff person or trained volunteer.
**Many of our training programs are currently being held virtually as webinars. Head to our Webinars & Trainings page at www.efepa.org/webinars-trainings to register for one of the scheduled programs**
Project School Alert
Project School Alert is one of the Foundation’s signature programs funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and uniquely designed to increase epilepsy awareness by educating classrooms on the signs and symptoms of seizures as well as first aid. In doing so, Project School Alert creates safer, more welcoming communities for students and teachers alike. As parents, you keep your child safe at home. Here’s the chance to let the EFEPA make them safe at school. ACT 48 and continuing education credits are available for teachers and school nurses.
Project School Alert includes:
- School presentations that are facilitated by the EFEPA staff or trained volunteer on Seizure Recognition, First Aid and Classroom Management
- ACT 48, continuing education credits or in-service presentations are offered free of charge
- Educational consultations to assist in the development of a child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), 504 accommodations and Early Intervention
- Student presentations that are age appropriate and interactive to help build understanding and sensitivity among peers relating to the student with epilepsy
This service is FREE and is extremely effective in preparing teachers to recognize seizures in the classroom and to intervene effectively. PSA programs will help to:
- Recognize signs and symptoms of seizure disorder
- Administer proper seizure first aid
- Provide emotional support for the child with epilepsy
- Build a favorable social climate for the child with epilepsy
View our School Training Flyer here! Any questions about trainings please contact Rena Loughlin at [email protected] or 215-779-8828.
To learn more about seizures in school view our brief video:
Below are slides from our 2016 School Nurse Webinar Training, presented by the EFEPA and Dr. Eric Marsh.
Additional School Services
Some children and teens with epilepsy/seizure disorder may have difficulty in school or struggle with learning problems. These issues can be the result of seizures, neurological impairment or the result of adverse effects of medications.
Whatever the reason, there are legal safeguards that assist in accommodating the child with epilepsy who needs special accommodations in a school setting. IEP (Independent Education Plan) provides legal guarantees for educating children with special needs. It is a written contract constructed jointly by the parent and school personnel describing the child’s present level of development with short-term and annual goals.
When the student reaches the age of 14, he/she should also be involved in the construction of his/her contract. Epilepsy falls under the heading of Other Health Impairments on the IEP contract. Sometimes simple accommodations need to be made within a regular classroom setting to assist a child who has epilepsy. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that students who have special needs be given the opportunity to participate in school programs without discrimination. These accommodations are within the regular classroom setting.
Preparing for the Classroom
We know that you like to help your child as much as you can to decrease the stress of epilepsy. A great way to help your child and their teachers is by having a Seizure Action Plan in place. This details all the emergency contact information, details about your child’s seizures, triggers, medicine and more. Click here to download a copy for your child. Another important document is a Seizure Observation Record. Your child’s teacher or school nurse can use this document to record information about his or her seizure. Download the Seizure Observation Record here.