Parents

A child’s illness is a matter that influences the whole family. As well as parents, your child and their siblings will need information about epilepsy, so that they can adjust to having epilepsy present in their lives. It is good to realistically discuss about epilepsy with your child and have the information adjusted according to each childs age and developmental stage. This way they and their siblings will have a lower threshold to ask any questions related to epilepsy later on.

Epilepsy can raise questions

A child can wonder:

  • What is wrong with me / my sibling?
  • Will I get better / will my sibling get better?
  • Have I caused this illness somehow?
  • What is going to happen to our family?

A parent can have their own worries:

  • What do children think and know about epilepsy?
  • How do I discuss epilepsy with children?
  • How to cope with my child’s worries and fears?
  • Who can help our family?
  • What happens to being a parent, will I be enough?

Young children use play to deal with life events. Older children can find it easier to discuss things during a fun activity where you can ask what they think about their illness or their sibling’s illness. You can say, for example, “I see that this is on your mind. Shall we have a chat?”. Above all, a child needs security and attention – there does not need to be a thorough and in-depth conversations every time. Parents will not always have the answers to the child’s questions, but together you can seek information and ask more about epilepsy from the child’s doctor.

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