New Student Seizures

Specialties School

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Good Morning All! How would you handle this situation:

New student enrolling from another state. Parent did not mention while enrolling student has epilepsy. On the student's second day of school, as I was going through his folder (after teacher said she saw 'something about seizures') it was noted from the prior school student had epilepsy and had a generic action plan on file.

I called mom who confirmed he did have epilepsy, but she said he'd never had a prescription for distat or any emergency med, and that doctors have never given her an action plan for school, just verbal directions. She said he's only once had a seizure lasting over 5 minutes, for which she did call 911 and have him taken to the ER, even then she said nobody has ever prescribed distat. Being new to the state, she has not found a doctor here!

Since calling her yesterday, he's had 2 partial seizures in school. I gave her paperwork so I can get actual medical documentation on file (and hopefully a individualized e-plan from doc) and e-meds in place. In the meantime I have put together packets with our districts e-plan (which mom has signed and had a small in-service with all the teachers that have contact with the student on this plan). Is there anything else you'd do at this point?

I typically have parent fill out a seizure questionnaire on the spot. It will include emergency contact information, seizure description, and history among other concerns. I will have parent sign release of medical info with physician, so I may reach child's physician. Have the parent follow-up with physician and complete a seizure action plan. Potentially receive medication orders for diastat for seizures >5 mins. If no, diastat, protocol would be to provide seizure first aid. If prolonged >5 mins and no diastat, altered, difficulty breathing, then would have to notify 911. Send notifications to staff members on the student's health condition once I have medical insight, guidelines for first aid, and mention if emergency medication is available. Attempt to train teachers on seizure first aid. Consider epilepsy foundation dvd and district provided training material.

I have a newly diagnosed epilepsy student. Parents adamant that we do not tell the student he has this issue. I do have diastat in my office that the teachers are aware of. When asking the parents about home meds they stated they told him his seizure med is just a vitamin :banghead:

Sounds like education is in order for the parent and child. Does the student have warning signs? Febrile seizures? Any aura? The aforementioned would provide potentially life saving insight to nurse/staff member. Consider hosting a conference with yourself and parent. Maybe include an administrator for support.

i currently have 4 students known to have seizures in my school. I have seizure action plans on 2 of them and only have diastat on one. In the past 2 weeks, I have had the parents of the other 2 come for seizure action plan blanks (both HAD them at some point, but I can only ask so many times) so that tells me their seizures have been getting more frequent at home and I have a good chance of maybe encountering seizure activity here. No plan = 9-1-1.

And it's not like it's hard to get my forms. They're online, I have printouts in my office, i can email them, i've sent them home, it's a matter of getting them back. I just chart all of the discussions. Chart when i've given a form and finally chart once the plan comes in.

for those interested or looking for something here's the seizure action plan i use from the epilepsy foundation: https://www.epilepsy.com/sites/core/files/atoms/files/seizure-action-plan-pdf_0.pdf

I'd imagine a lot of us use this one

Are you able to have parent sign release-medical information w physician? You could fax the doctor a plan to fill out and sign/return. Turn around is usually a week in my experience.

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