SOCIAL ASPECTS Further to medical treatment, persons with epilepsy face stigma, misunderstandings, labelling and discrimination

2 Witnessing a seizure can be devastating for someone unfamiliar or uninformed. Fear Superstition Misconceptions continue to influence on societal attitudes and behaviour towards those having epilepsy

3 Onset of epilepsy in newborn Trauma for parents They are anxious to know how this will effect their child Feel sense of helplessness to protect child from harm Often times they over-protect their child Instances where epilepsy is kept as a ‘family secret’ which in turn increases anxiety

4 Impact on: There is an impact on:  Cognitive development  Emotional development  Psychological development

5 Childhood/School age Child realises he/she is different In certain countries children are not deemed fit to go to school and they are denied education. Starts to face prejudicial attitudes and treated differently than peers

6 As a reaction to the attitude around them children with epilepsy revert to aggression in order to fight back or else isolate themselves in order to avoid having to explain what they are going through and feel safe in their own company. Both scenarios result in the child becoming a social outcast.

7 Undiagnosed absence seizures When epilepsy is not as yet diagnosed, especially in the case of absence seizures children are often labeled as being lazy, unresponsive and not interested. Such attitudes provoke havoc in the child’s emotional development

8 Participation Sometimes adults are reluctant to take responsibility for children with epilepsy ‘just in case something happens’ for fear of not knowing how to manage seizures. This often happens during outings, sports and aquatic activities. Again child is made to feel different and inadequate.

9 Adolescents Adolescent want to explore, do new things, experiment and feel free. It’s a time when they defy society in order to assert themselves Yet because of epilepsy, they lose friends, labeled as being drug addicts, left out of activities. They have to struggle more than their peers in order to attain their goals and objectives

10 During this journey the hurt, discrimination and prejudice effect their characters. This makes it difficult for them to interact and to approach people. Epilepsy commonly effects young people in the most productive years of their lives

11 Building a family Legislations in various countries affecting PWE has reflected centuries of suspicion and misunderstanding about epilepsy Pre-conceptions regarding marriage, sexual function and relationships Examples : China + India – reason for prohibiting or annulling marriages United Kingdom – law forbidding marriage up to 1970 U.S.A. – prohibited marriage, last state repealed this law in Up to states provided eugenic sterilisation of PWE. Up to 1970 it was legal to deny PWE access to public places. Parents many times hinder such relationships

12 Employment Economic and financial burdens are not uncommon to people with epilepsy due to low education levels therefore they obtain low paying jobs or are unable to find employment. Many are culturally conditioned to underrate themselves

13 Should they divulge that they have epilepsy? Research shows that many times it can prove to be a disadvantage Even though there is legislation against discrimination re disability, employers still find a way to be negatively selective. Denied promotions or pay rises Difficult to prove malpractices

14 Senior years Ailing health, mood swings Life long side effects of anti epileptic drugs are more accentuated Underlying attitude that epilepsy is at the core of things going wrong

15 Conclusion Education is the ultimate solution Direct contact with persons having epilepsy helps people to look at them as individuals and not as people having a condition Teaching First Aid helps to eradicate the fear of the unknown and empowers people to manage seizures

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