Explaining a Parent's Epilepsy to a 4 Year Old

I am not a medical expert. However I would maybe draw a picture of your brain showing wires and a light bulb of sorts. How maybe that sometimes when it seems things are fine, there is a short circuit, like maybe use a lightswitch as an example. If the wiring is off sometimes it fails and the bulb won't go on. That is when you have a seizure happens and it takes a while before it fixes itself again. Explaining how if you drove that isn't safe for anyone if the wiring went bad while you were driving and that it is better to just be somewhere it is safer. I think educating them is so great and she will be ahead of the game.

Kids are amazing sponges and as she gets older her ability to grasp it even more is helpful.
I would also teach her about 911, her address and phone number. Seeing that some day she may have to call for you. It is amazing how fast they can learn this. Since I am a single mom both of my kids know what 911 is, how to call it, when to call it, what their full names are, addresses and so on. Just in case. Scary thought but the reality is they could save your life one day.

I don't know how helpful that is, but she will understand even more eachy month that passes, keeping her aware, educated is a gift for both of you. Kids are smart and giving them the truth is so important.

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I haven't been through this one -- but my nephew has epilepsy. My sister explains his epilepsy to his younger siblings about the age your daughter is. She tells them that something inside his head is broken; like when you break a toy and it still works mostly right, but can't do everything it could before. This can help you explain the petite mal seizures and then move on to the possibility of grand mal seizures. Knowing 911, name, and address are a good idea for your daughter at this age regardless of the epilepsy. Good luck to you. I hope you can get control of it again.

Hey E.,
First off I am so sorry your seizures have returned. My husband has adult epilepsy however his seizures are strictly grand-mal seizures. We too have a 4 year old son. We recently started educating him a little more about his daddy's seizures and let me tell you it has been tough. I am not sure if this will help or work for you but here is what we have done.

We explained to him that daddy has seizures and this is when he is really sick and needs help. We have had several conversations about what happens (daddy goes to the hospital in the ambulance while he goes to his gramma's then daddy has to sleep for a long time and we have to be quiet). We have not described the shaking, rather daddy's brain does not work when he has a seizure and he forgets everything. We live in a rural area so we have told our son if daddy cannot talk or remember his name then he needs to go to our neighbors house. We have not wanted to teach him to call 911 as we thought he was too little to understand the appropriate times to call.

Unfortunately we have had to resort to very limited time that daddy is left alone with our little guy. Daddy cannot drive, especially with our little man, so we turn that into a game. I have found that having us and our family members talk more about the seizures and what happens is helpful to our son. Rather than shielding him from the aftermath or what seizures are. It has been helpful (as weird as that may sound) if his daddy does get an injury during a seizure we can show our son and explain how it happened. I wish you the very best of luck and if you have any more questions or need to vent frustrations, feel free to contact me!! Take care or yourelf!

Hi E.,
My husband does have epilepsy mostly grand mal and we have two boys ages 8 and 4. My husband goes through spurts with his and I have been working with my sons from around 4yrs old to show them with acting out what happens to daddy having a seizure. I also try to go over with them that Daddy does not always have to go to hospitals but that daddy needs to rest. Watch daddy to see that he is not hitting his head. They are to go get a neighbor who are aware of my husbands condition and just monitor him through it.
I asume with petite that he is making sounds and standing abrubtly, I also had a roommate with 20 seizures a day so I have some background there as well. If you just want to talk with me privately feel free to call me or email me at ____@____.com and we can be there for each other. Many people just do not have the same fears that us wife's with husbands and epilepsy have.
Don't cover up the problem with the kids be honest and walk through what you want them to do. Remember if you feel you need 911 fine, but you already know he has epilepsy so paramedics will just make sure he is stable.So give your kids guidelines to follow and they will stand ready to be there for their daddy. Best wishes and I am here if you want to talk, not type. M.

GREAT response, Sarah! I learned a lot too! Thanks so much. Best to you, E..