LibGuides: Learning Differences: Epilepsy

What is epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that causes people to have seizures. A seizure, sometimes called a fit, is a sudden burst of activity in the brain that causes a temporary interruption in brain function.

There are two main types of seizures: a partial seizure affects only part of the brain, while a generalized seizure affects the entire brain.

The area of the brain that is affected will determine the reaction the person experiences. A person with epilepsy may look and have the same cognitive and intellectual abilities as their peers; therefore, epilepsy may be an invisible disorder.

A person having a partial seizure may experience:	A person having a generalized seizure may:
tingling or sensation such as numbness, jerking, twitching a stimulation of the senses (sight, sound, taste, smell) emotional changes (fear, anger, anxiety, depression, happiness) psychological changes (hallucinations or racing thoughts) physiological changes (hot or cold skin, slow or fast pulse) altered state of consciousness that looks like dreaming or sleepwalking.	become unconscious become stiff with shallow breathing, become pale have rhythmic muscle contractions and shaking have saliva or froth from the mouth experience loss of bowel or bladder control become confused or tired when regaining consciousness

Epilepsy New Zealand (n.d.) say that people living with epilepsy may experience difficulties with: memory, problem-solving, attention/concentration, visual and/or verbal learning, speech and language, reading, spelling, and numeracy, motor ability (e.g. poor or slow handwriting), self-esteem, motivation, maintaining consistency in learning, and mood.

Learning Strategies for Students

These learning strategies might be useful to help you manage your study. If you don't know how to do these, talk to Learner Support Services.

Talk to your tutors	Talk to your tutors about how epilepsy impacts your learning. Make a plan with your Disability Advisor who will share it with your tutors. This is so everyone knows what to do if you have a seizure. Establish visual cues so you can alert your tutor to an upcoming seizure.
Support your memory	Take a look at Epilepsy Society's memory aids and reminders. Support your memory by using these techniques or these techniques. Try using mnemonics, creating rhymes or songs, drawing picture and diagrams, and using colour instead of just writing words.
Set alarms	If you find that you can't remember appointments or due dates, set reminders in your phone calendars. Set them for the due dates, as well as for a few weeks ahead. Pick up a paper wall calendar from Learner Support Services.
Write to-do lists / menus	To-do lists and menus are great because they can help you see what needs to be done, and can help you stay on track. Create lists or menus for different assignments or course modules. Tick them off as you complete them. Write tasks on post-it notes and throw them away once the task is done. Break assignments into smaller tasks. Turn longer instructions into bullet points.
Putting your ideas into writing	Make a mindmap of list your ideas and key points before starting to write. Copy and paste the tasks from your course descriptor into a Word document. This can help you plan and structure your thoughts. Talk through your ideas with someone before writing them down. Use the free Dictate feature on your device. This was you can speak your thoughts and your device will type them for you. Check out the Assistive Technology & Tools page to learn how to use this tool and many others.
Managing anxiety	Try some of these grounding techniques to help manage any anxiety you may be experiencing. Check out this video for tools on managing stress and anxiety through neuroscience

Take a moment: Choose one or two learning strategies to try this week.

Teaching Strategies for Tutors

The best things you can do to support your students with epilepsy are:

Get you know your students and their learning preferences.
Learn more about epilepsy

These strategies may be useful when teaching students with epilepsy

Create supportive learning environments	Show patience and tolerance when teaching students with epilepsy. Ensure they feel safe in the classroom. Ask your students about how epilepsy impacts their learning, learner about their triggers, and discuss a plan in case of a seizure. Establish visual cues so students can alert you to an upcoming seizure. Allow students to find a quite space if they need to recover or refocus after a seizure. Incorporate regular breaks with time to move around. Ensure flicking lights are fixed immediately by campus services.
Course material	Limit animations and flashing lights on electronic material. Ensure all course material is available on Moodle for students to access in case they missed a lesson and need to catch up.
Develop predictable routines	Provide a clear structure of each lesson at the beginning of each class. Set learning objectives for activities and classes. Be consistent with routines where possible. Provide user-friendly class timetables and planners.
Give clear instructions and information	Give clear, detailed instructions in unambiguous language in multiple formats (verbal, visual, written). Break tasks and instructions down into smaller, more manageable chunks. Use numbered bullet points that can be ticked off once complete. Use Moodle to share lecture slides and course resources prior to class. Allow enough time for students to process instructions and information. Teach effective learning strategies, as well as model organisation and time management strategies.
Present content in different and engaging ways	Enhance your verbal communication with visual cues, such as using charts, pictures, videos in your teaching. Facilitate active and engaging activities suitable for shorter attention spans Point out key information through highlighting or underlining. Support memory weaknesses by using mnemonics, repetition, visual maps, colour, reviewing prior learning, etc. Summarise what you have covered at the end of each session.

The Differentiation Diviser by Mike Gershon
For more ideas, take at look at The Differentiation Diviser. It include 80 different ways to differentiate to cater to all students.

What to do if someone is having a seizure

Stay calm, seizures last about 5 minutes.
Protect their head
Loosen clothing around neck
Guide the person away from dangerous objects
Don't crowd the person. Only 1 or 2 support people are necessary.
Stay with the person until recovery is complete
Do not put anything in the person’s mouth or try to restrain them
Record how long the seizure lasts, and if you're worried call an ambulance
Seek medical help if you are ever unsure about a person’s condition

References & Useful Links

Screening and Assistive Technology

There is technology available that may make studying easier.

You may be eligible for funding. Getting a professional assessment may help you get funding for support tools.