Children, like adults, ultimately need to accept their epilepsy if they are to be happy and productive citizens. They need to realize that epilepsy is only one part of their life, and for most not the dominant part. People should be defined by the kind of person they are, not a condition they have.

Perhaps most important to a child’s acceptance of epilepsy is a feeling of self-esteem. For any child to achieve his full potential, he must feel good about himself and able to achieve.

One aspect of self-esteem is a child’s feeling of control over his epilepsy and his life. This is why the child should participate in his treatment. Certainly the older child must know why he is taking medicine. A parent who tells his child that he’s taking medication because, “It’s good for you” or “It’s a vitamin and will make you stronger” has not accepted his child’s epilepsy and is not allowing the child to accept it either. Also, we encourage parents to let the child, from almost any age, be responsible for taking his own medication. The younger child will require supervision. The older child and adolescent can supervise himself, or learn to, and, in doing so, control and “own” his epilepsy. It is a first step toward achieving control and ownership of his life.

An individual is known by what he can do, not by what he can’t do. If you focus on your child’s limitations and wish for things that are not realistic, your child is likely to become a failure in your eyes and in his own and fail to achieve his potential. Recognizing your child’s potential for achievement is a first step in helping him to recognize his own capabilities. Rewarding achievement is far more productive than focusing on failure.

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