Discipline and Seizures

Could you perhaps explain how your son can kick someone when he’s seizing? I haven’t ever seen anything like that before.

From the teacher’s perspective, I can’t imagine being kicked. And if my employees were kicked on the job, I’d do what I could to stop it.

If the school’s like me, I can see how they’re having a hard time thinking that kicking is not behavioral.

Maybe there’s some education that needs to go on first?

I feel for you. I have a 10 year old son with ADHD and ODD. He has many behavioral issues at school but I have found that many of them are more control issues and power struggles with teachers then intentional misbehavior. As far as the behavior plan - I would suggest standing your ground with the school but consider what is best for your son. At first I was resistant to a behavioral plan with my son but quickly figured out that I could use the plan to my advantage.

Many people have the impression that seizures come in only one variety - like on “ER” where typicallly tonic-clonic (or grand mal) seizures are depicted. However, there are many varieties of seizures. Some of them do not involve complete loss of consciousness. Some people may just stare, some may have one limb start to engage in uncontrolled movements, some may stagger around, disoriented and be mistaken for drunk and unfortuantely some people do get combative during a seizure. While it is important to try to set up a response that prevents injury to others who may be present at the time, it is unreasonable to think that a person with this type of seizure can control his behavior during the seizure. Certainly a complete medical re-evaluation for treatment regimen needs to be done and one hopes a better medication will eliminate these scary types of seizure. There needs to be a plan at school how the school will handle the child if such a seizure occurs there. This child needs a medic alert type necklace or bracelet so that when he is older, he does not get arrested instead of sent to the hospital if this should happen in public.

Pam,

I’m not sure I understand. How would you like the school to handle situations where your son presents a danger to himself and/or others? You say you walked out of a meeting where his behavior was being discussed, but it’s not clear to me what action you believe they should have taken. What would you like to see happen? Please tell us more. JJ

I would like the school to be educated about seizures and what should be done. I would like to talk to the school and make a plan as to what they need to do when this happens…..ie call me and i will come to the school and help. The school thinks that there is only one type of seizure and because my son wasn’t laying on the floor thrashing around it wasn’t a seizure. There are 40 types of seizures and because my son has a seizure the school has no right to disapline him for a behavior. He has no control over his body until the seizure is over. I also have a nurologist and i have asked for her to contact the school and maybe she can give them some input as to what needs to be done.

My son’s very first activity before seizure activity is combative, grumpy, ect….. 1 hour before his first
seizure he kick his favorite Dr. My son can be a handful at times but never violent. Our behavior have a
direct correlation to the medications we take. I wouldn’t take a combative stance with the school. This I
have found will get you No Where….. Take some time to reevaluate your son’s situation. Call your
Neuro ask him questions about this matter. You would be surprised how much usable information you
can get from them. The schools have to adhere to what ever a Dr. says about your child. A letter from a
Dr. can go a long way for your son. Above all else listen to your gut instincts.

Are there maybe two things going on here?

If he had two seizures at school, he still has 3 write-ups that aren’t seizure-related, no?

Since the seizures are a medical issue, perhaps you could have your doctor help the staff address his health needs when he is having a seizure in a way that he won’t be a danger to himself or to others who are trying to help him.

That would seem to leave some issues (snowballs, etc.) that still need to be addressed — maybe you could talk to the school about them once the seizures are addressed?

Hello i have an update………I went and spoke to the supintenant about what was going on with the behavior plan. IHe said he would talk to the staff and see what he could work out. He contacted me today and told me he didn’t want me to file a Due Process Hearing and that he will make sure they stop using the plan. He feels it is due to Adam having seizures.
Take Care, Pam

Hi Pam,

It’s great to hear you’re able to work together. It helps to go right to the top, doesn’t it?!! When do you see the neurologist? I hope those seizures are temporary. Please keep us posted. Best wishes. JJ

I’ve been following this thread and am glad to hear you finally get this resolved. It is sad though the school was not more willing initially to work more with you on some of the issues which appear to be out of the childs control and you had to threaten with a Law Suit. To better our schools we need more parents to be involved and work with the teachers and school district not fight each other.

They wonder way America has gone sue happy. We wouldn’t be so sue happy if we could just take time to see both sides and work together!

Hope things keep going in a positive direction.

Margaret

Just my thoughts.

My son has a Seizure Disorder and is ADHD and LD. We didn’t find this out until about a year and a half ago, he is now 18. We had to deal with the seizure disorder first, which I feel is under control. Now we are dealing with the ADHD and Learning Disabilities. (Which is not going so well.) Recently I had talked to my Dr. about Wellbutrin (to stop smoking). In our discussion he brought up the fact that my son could not take this medicine because it increases the chance for a seizure when you have a seizure disorder. Just wanted to mention this in hopes that all areas have been addressed.

I just recently went on Wellbutrin SR for my depression. I’m sure you have resurched the med youself but here are some facts I have learned about it from there web site, http://www.wellbutrin.com. It has very good infomation on it effect and seizure. Did these start after he stoped taking the medicine. The web site states 1 in every 1000 develope seizures.

Margaret