Epilepsy in Children: A Comprehensive Guide for Families

The day your child was diagnosed with epilepsy was probably one of the days you asked the most questions in your life. “Why my child?”, “Will it go away?”, “Will it affect intelligence?”, “Can they do sports, go to school, get married, and have children?” All of these questions are natural, and every one of them deserves an answer. This book was written precisely to bring together the answers to these questions patiently, in clear language, and with their scientific basis.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions of childhood. Yet despite how common it is, it remains one of the most misunderstood, most feared, and unfortunately most stigmatized conditions. And yet today we have treatments that allow the great majority of children to live seizure-free, advanced diagnostic methods, and promising new options. Knowledge is the antidote to fear on this journey.

As I wrote this guide, I tried to achieve two things at once: on one hand, to be scientifically accurate and up to date, and on the other, to use language that a mother or father who never went to medical school can easily understand. Here and there I used medical terms, because being able to speak the same language as your physician, so that you can be a partner in your child's care, makes learning these terms worthwhile. But I explained every term the first time it appears, and I added a comprehensive glossary at the end of the book.

I want you to know this from the very start: You are the most important member of your child's care team. You are the one who observes the seizures, keeps track of medication times, maintains communication with the school, and keeps your child's spirits high. This book exists to strengthen you for that role, to remind you that you are not alone, and to give you a reliable reference at your fingertips.