Despite the risk of seizures in epilepsy, children are more worried about how their peers will view them when diagnosed with epilepsy. Most children are afraid they’ll be bullied, and many families struggle to afford their child’s medication. However, there are ways to improve your child’s quality of life, even with a difficult diagnosis such as epilepsy.

How to Treat Epilepsy for a Better Quality of Life

When your child has a seizure, you might feel helpless. It’s hard to watch a child go through something like that without being able to help. For many parents, that’s the most challenging part of the diagnosis. There are ways to ensure that parents can help their children:

• Rescue Treatments:  Some medications help patients avoid seizures. However, most of these medications must always be carried on your person. Rectal diazepam is effective in treating seizures but can be embarrassing and difficult to administer. In recent years, clonazepam tablets have become more popular. The tablets dissolve and are smaller, making administration easier on children.
• Medication Compliance: Many pharmaceutical companies develop extended-release medications. The problem with these extended-release medications is that they’re less effective than others. One of the most common reasons children have frequent seizures is missing doses. Keeping up with a medication regimen can help reduce your child’s seizures.
• Mental Health treatments:  Counseling and therapy are excellent resources for children diagnosed with epilepsy. Counseling helps your child identify and treat their anxiety and fear. But it doesn’t stop there. Family and peer support is another excellent way to help your child with their diagnosis. Repeating positive experiences is essential to the quality of life for children with epilepsy.
• Treating possible ADHD: Many children diagnosed with epilepsy are also diagnosed with ADHD. Hyperactivity can trigger seizures in many children, so it’s essential to have your child tested for ADHD and epilepsy. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, treating it can help reduce seizures. ADHD treatment also helps avoid embarrassment in school, preventing them from being labeled as “problem children” by their teachers.

While medications are vital to epilepsy patients, it’s also essential to make sure the patients don’t feel restricted. Helping children feel as normal as possible can help them remain independent and happy. Many parents worry about normal activities, fearing that the most minute change can trigger a seizure. There are obvious restrictions and rules, but restricting everything in a child’s life can make them feel like they’re being punished for something beyond their control. 

Discussing Epilepsy Treatments With Your Physician

The first step to ensuring your child is cared for is to make an appointment with a physician. At Advanced Pediatrics of Rockland, we specialize in guiding you and your child through their diagnosis. We offer the latest medications and treatments to help your child feel like nothing in their life has changed. We want your child to feel normal. And we want to ensure you have all the resources you need to support your child. Epilepsy can be a challenging diagnosis, but with the right support, your child can live a fulfilled life.