According to a recent survey conducted by the UK charity Epilepsy Action, epileptic kids are not getting the right support they need. This survey, which was conducted on both parents and teachers, is suggesting that epileptic students do not reach their full potential, are not performing on the same level as their peers, and regularly miss school because of their condition.
Of the 185 teachers surveyed, most of the schools stated that they had at least one epileptic student. Of those, “less than 40 percent have a written epilepsy policy and over a quarter had not had epilepsy training in the last three years. Almost a third of teachers were not aware that pupils with epilepsy may be entitled to receive extra time in exams. One in six teachers said that either pupils with epilepsy at their school did not have an individual healthcare plan or that they didn’t know if they had one.”
Epilepsy Action wants all schools to have those procedures ready to help epileptic kids reach their full potential. As for the parents who were surveyed (a total of 214), they said that they were just as worried about their children’s education as the teachers were. The survey showed that two-thirds of the parents did not believe that the school was doing enough to support their epileptic kids and that the school didn’t properly understand the condition to be able to offer the right support. The parents also complained of not being properly included in talks about their kids’ educations.
Since epilepsy is a condition that affects hundreds of thousands of families, this survey is significant in that it reveals the current feelings on the proper educational attention these children are receiving. It may also go a long way in helping teachers and students better understand the plight of their epileptic peers. Various medications are used to treat epileptic adults and children. One of those medication is the anti-seizure drug Topamax.
Topamax causes birth defects in babies whose mothers take the drug while pregnant. Some of those birth defects include PPHN, oral clefts, cleft palate, spina bifida and neural defects. If your child was born with birth defects and you have taken Topamax, contact attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting Topamax lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your child’s injuries.