Appendix E- Epilepsy as a Barrier to Learning
1. Introduction
It is likely to face difficulties in a learner without noticing if an epilepsy is not visible.
2. What is epilepsy?
The source of epilepsy is in the brain and results are visible during seizure sessions.
The learners’ bodies twitch If there are powerful seizures.
[Link] brain
Epilepsy is a release of unusual electrical action in the brain.
It is an unexpected disruption in brain function caused by unusual electrical activity in
the brain cells.
The symptoms disappear when the brain’s activity returns to normal and the brain is
active between electrical seizures.
The kinds of seizures rely on the parts of brain that are affected.
At times, there is small area where the neurons are stimulated.
Particular operations are then affected which are controlled by that section of the brain,
for instance, the focal-motor seizures.
The abnormal sections of the brain can result in convulsive movements of a single or
group of muscles.
An individual is aware of the convulsive actions but cannot regulate them.
Rhythmical actions of the jaw, lips, throat and salivating may take place.
[Link] Body
The way the body reacts depends on the kinds of seizures.
There are seizures that do not have warning sign.
The learning process of the learner is disadvantageous because the teachers are not
aware that the learner is no longer concentrating and has missed some sections of the
lesson.
When the person is experiencing powerful seizures, the ‘electrical storm’ in the brain
triggers the body to react violently, he falls to the ground and body become rigid.
Then all muscles contract on both sides of the body, eyelids and jawbones are tightly set,
eyes are partly shut, breathing ceases and the face turns blue.
The great and strong convulsions which are fast at first, slow down and ends in a few
irregular twitches.
There is a possibility of the bladder loss and sphincter control, causing clearing of the
bladder and excretion.
The face returns to normal and the inhalation continues.
When the seizures finish, the person go down into a deep coma during which muscles
slowly relax.
3. Types of epilepsy
International classification is utilised to categorise all types of epilepsy.
[Link] of epilepsy
Three principles are used to categorise seizures.
1) Generalised seizure is the seizure which includes the entire body.
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2) Partial seizure is the seizure that includes only the section of the brain.
3) A secondary generalised seizure is the seizure which incorporate the whole brain.
A simplified summary of the classification would therefore be as follows:
a) Generalised seizure without convulsions
b) Generalised seizure with convulsions
c) Partial seizures
d) Partial seizures that becomes generalised seizures.
e) Unclassified seizures- in the situation where seizures are not often categorized.
3.2.A few Types of Epilepsy
Kind of seizure that takes place in the classroom are:
3.2.1. Petit mal or absence
This seizure that happens immediately, no warning and no consciousness.
Afterward the absence the learner moves on with an activity however the subject matter
dealt with during the absence will have been disoriented.
Repeat should be done in class where there is a learner who undergoes absence.
3.2.2. Convulsive General Seizures
Myoclonic convulsion is the seizure which is accompanied by one or more convulsions
because all the muscles are engaged.
When tonic convulsive seizures take place the body experience enormously rigid seizure.
An individual may have an intuition of this kind of seizure such as numbness sensation felt in
advance.
Moving spots of light are normal in visual disruptions.
A sound like ringing of a sound bell in auditory feeling.
Olfactory feeling (smell) occurs in a kind of weird aromas.
A variation of heartbeat, extreme perspiring, tearfulness, dilation of a learner or skin
reaction such as goose pimples or red flushes are other examples of sensations.
Confusion, listlessness, headache, unclear speech, intelligent dullness or temporal paralysis
signs that an individual might exhibit at the end of the seizure and vanish once an individual
recuperates.
The symptoms of Convulsive seizures are accompanied by symptoms that cannot be
disregarded, therefore they are the easiest to recognise.
3.2.3. Partial Seizures
Seizures are the seizures that involves a section of a brain.
An example of partial seizure is the focal-motor seizure.
Other examples of partial seizures include the following:
1) Jackson seizures are the seizure that marches ahead through one part of the body so that
more and more of the muscle groups are involved. These seizures are known as Jackson
march. They begin with irregular movement of the thumb, distribution to other fingers, the
wrist, the arm and the face.
2) Versive or adversive seizures are also known as to turning seizures since an individual
creates rotating movement of the head.
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3) Postural seizures are the typical posture is semi seated location with one arm elevated and
the head and eyes rotate in the direction of an arm which is raised.
4) Seizures with vocalisation are the seizures that are escorted by the expression of sound like
loud, repetitive nonsense.
5) Psychomotor seizures when they take place, people continue with whatever they were
doing before the seizures start and cannot remember anything about the seizures. Warning
signs that take place are chewing and swallowing movements, beating of the lips, touching
at bodily parts, swearing and hyperventilating.
Teachers could caution learners to breath ordinarily by using a paper bag if they see that
they are hyperventilating.
Learners, especially adolescents could deliberately or unintentionally create a seizure when
they do not want to write a test, looking for attention when they feel they are ignored.
Even though the seizures are imitation, teacher should however handle them as normal
seizures.
They must talk to other teachers, if they take place often, investigation of the causes of
seizures should be done.
4. Identifying a Child with Epilepsy
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Teachers should be familiar with the signs which are associated with epilepsy.
Teacher are obliged to observe every member of the group and may also conduct
interviews with parents about the learner’s history, especially when the child enters a
school.
Interview should also involve prenatal period, whether the natal was normal, difficulties
during birth or immediate after birth.
Additional inspection can be done by assessing learners’ motor, language, speech and
social developments.
[Link] Hidden or Disguised Epilepsy
Hidden epilepsy takes place when the learner displays no external symptoms but
experience learning or behavioural problems.
They may subject to sudden spells of temper, aggressiveness, vandalism or prone to
swiftly changing moods, at times they are depressed might likely experience from
process of irritation in the brain which do not cause epileptic symptoms.
Once they are cured for this disorder, the actions changes amazingly.
Teachers could take note to irregular indications.
[Link] Phenomena
A number of occurrences which could be misleading with epilepsy are migraine,
childhood fits, hysteria, fainting occurrences, sleeping illness and incidents of holding
breath, dizziness and lose consciousness because of strain on the artery to the brain.
[Link] Need for Objective Observation and Reporting
Teachers should illustrate the behaviour of the learner in an exact statement if they
observe any abnormality in learners which is peculiar and was not there previously.
Teachers must note and record the following if the learners have a supposed epileptic
seizure:
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1) What before the seizure?
2) How did the seizure start?
3) What did take place in the course of seizure?
4) What took place once the seizure stopped?
The factual notes should be presented to the principal who should talk over sensitively with
the parents and the learners may be transferred to the neurologists /or paediatricians if
epilepsy is suspected.
5. Assistance to Learners with Epilepsy
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It is significant that parents tell teachers about their learner’s epileptic seizures so that if
they take place in a group, other learners and the teachers will know what to do.
Teachers should also be familiar with the seizures that are undetected so that they can
assist learners during and after seizures.
Teachers should treat learners with seizures just like other normal learners.
[Link] During Slight Seizures
Teachers should be alert and record all the incidence of absence that happens
unnoticed.
Teachers should not try to make learners to act differently but should ease and allow
them to rest because after seizures the learners may complain of nausea, headache or
seem disordered.
[Link] During Tonic- Clonic Seizures
Teachers should prepare other learners for witnessing a possible seizure if they know
that learners in their group suffer tonic-clonic seizures.
Teachers should be familiar of the cautionary symptoms so they can take the learners
in a quarantine, secure place where they can lie down and not suffer any harm.
Teachers should stop learners form collapsing and remove things that might harm the
learner if there are unobservable symptoms.
By no means should anybody attempt to grip the learners and inhibit movements of the
body because this could cause harm in the muscles or joints.
The learner should be turned on the side so that extreme drooling which cause the
foaming in the mouth may run out easily and block the air passages which may cause
blocking.
Things should not be injected between the teeth to inhibit the learners from wounding
their tongue.
Teachers must make it a point that clothes of the learners are loose, especially round
the neck and the waist.
Medical aid should be summoned if the following takes place:
1) If serious seizures take place at frequent periods.
2) If the learners were hurt during the seizures.
3) If the child throttles, speedy emergency aid is necessary to unblock the passage.
4) If the seizures proceed unduly, a doctor may give the learner an injection to stop
further seizures.
Learners’ parents should be notified of any seizures the learner may suffer.
[Link] Use of Medication
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Learners should utilise medication to regulate epileptic seizures.
The teachers should be alert of the medication of epilepsy because it is prolonged
and at times last forever.
Teachers should also warn parents that it could be harmful to change doctors and to
have treatment changed randomly.
They should also warn the parents about the outcomes of utilising rights
medications.
Medication prescribed by the neurologist drops the number of seizures and brings
them tamed.
If there are side effects and the change of behaviour, teachers should report to
parents and doctors.
[Link] to the Child with Epilepsy
5.5.1. The effect of epilepsy on the child’s learning
If the learners with epilepsy are not given love, security, safety and similar emotional
state turn out to be disrupted, especially if other learners mock and deny them because
they do not comprehend what is taking place.
They could worsen into violent rebels, turn out to be pessimistic, reserved and stubborn.
They could learn to take care of themselves and become members of the society if
seizures are regulated by medicine.
5.5.2. Circumstance in Class Which May Affect Seizures
If there are emotional disruptions, extraordinary enjoyment and sad in the group, the
seizures of some learners may deteriorate and it is impossible to control these
conditions.
Learners need assistance and attention so that they can acclimatize to all conditions and
to come across the difficulties of life.
Learners must follow a balanced diet and food must be eaten at fixed times.
Long periods between meals can decrease sugar levels which can make some learners
with epilepsy more vulnerable to seizures than others.
A good breakfast is recommended for learners with epilepsy before they come to school
in the mornings.
5.5.3. Participation in Everyday Group Activities
Learners with epilepsy should live a healthy normal live by partaking in every types of
games but should be monitored at the climbing equipment and throughout swimming
periods.
They should be inspired to participate in socialisation games.
They should not slumber during the day because that could cause an escalation in
seizures.
There should be a steady correction as ordinary learners and should not be spoiled or
their misconduct ignored.
6. The responsibility of a Teacher to Learners with Epilepsy
1) Adequate information about different seizures is required.
2) Knowledge about how to treat learners with epilepsy is needed.
3) Familiarise themselves with information to recognise when seizures require experts,
medication or other support.
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4) Inform every seizure they have witnessed to the school principal, parents of the learners and
the doctor.
5) Knowledge about medication learners are taking is required so that they can assist them.
6) Should know about the after effects of seizures that is learner’s development, mental life
and conduct, how they react and how other people react.
7) Should be knowledgeable about other disabilities which learners with epilepsy may have.
Activity
1. Define in your words what is epilepsy and identify types of epilepsy.
2. Briefly describe the practical strategies which you can provide to support learners with
epilepsy in the classroom.