Some epilepsy news is sobering. Seizures and learning problems often go hand in hand. One expert estimates that nearly 50% of people with epilepsy also have a learning disability. According to The Hospital for Sick Children,both seizures and the medications used to treat them can cause learning problems.
Memory problems are common. A child might study the same material repeatedly but not be able to recall it the next day. Difficulty with short-term memory can make it harder for children to complete tasks as quickly as their peers might. When you keep forgetting the instructions, completing an assignment takes much longer.
Children with epilepsy can also have speech-language disabilities. They may find it hard to understand verbal information or to use words to communicate. And difficulties with specific academic areas—like math, reading, or writing—can occur.
Maintaining attention and concentration can be a problem, too. A child might only be able to focus for a short time. Some anticonvulsants—Phenobarbital, in particular—are associated with hyperactivity, which makes concentrating very hard.
The effect of epilepsy on learning can change, even from day to day. A child who has a seizure at night may feel so fatigued during school the following day that little learning takes place. Seizures during the school day can really impair learning, causing kids to forget what they’ve worked so hard to master. Frequent, undetected seizure activity can slow learning, making it harder for a child to learn, hold onto, and retrieve new information when it’s needed.
What can parents do?
Early detection is critical. Testing completed through either the school or a private consultant can pinpoint difficulties and give you an idea about what kind of learning environment will best help your child learn.
Talking regularly with your child about what happens in school helps you identify what he or she needs and how that might be changing over time. Asking your child to ‘keep you in the loop’ by bringing up the subject makes the two of you a team, working together to improve your child’s learning environment.
Many children with learning disabilities do better in one-on-one situations, where teaching responds to an individual child’s learning pace. Some children benefit from special education or remedial classes. Some just need to have a seat in the front of the room to help them focus.
If you need to, create an advocacy team to help your child receive the services he or she is entitled to. Include your child’s doctors, an epilepsy organization, advocacy groups for children with learning disabilities, and other individuals and groups who can help you help your child succeed in school.
Most importantly, focus on your child’s strengths. No matter how much he struggles with learning, there’s something your child does really well. He should be proud of that—and so should you.
PDF 
