Possible absence seizures

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just want to say im glad im not the only parent out that that has checked my sn kid into a hospital overnight, rung up nearly 10k in insurance charges and had him sedated to investigated concerns about possible seizures or other brain activity from other professionals, only to discover there was none of that. I thought i was the only person who has done this.

Totally not alone, PP. It's like an epidemic around here. Since my experience I've met so many other families. We should start a club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^. And to add, how funny and sad no one would take offense at the suggestion of a physical issue (even grateful) but to suggest ASD? You need the utmost diplomacy.

I didn't take offense. More putting words in my mouth and projecting your own issues. What I took offense at was someone who was not qualified - and no, a teacher with a degree isn't either - trying to diagnose my child and causing undue stress.

Right - because that is EXACTLY what that teacher is trying to do. Diagnosis the child and cause stress. She certainly isn't just trying to help that kid out in the best way that she knows how. She said that she's not a doctor and that she would phrase it as her observations (via the nurse). What more do you want, oh-so-sensitive-one?!

(LOL about projecting issues. I spit out my water laughing at that coming from you!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^. And to add, how funny and sad no one would take offense at the suggestion of a physical issue (even grateful) but to suggest ASD? You need the utmost diplomacy.

I didn't take offense. More putting words in my mouth and projecting your own issues. What I took offense at was someone who was not qualified - and no, a teacher with a degree isn't either - trying to diagnose my child and causing undue stress.

Right... you didn't take offense and that's why you are throwing a hysterical hissy fit on a thread about absent seizures about someone suggesting your child has ASD. OP wasn't diagnosing anyone but thought she saw a child having absent seizure in the classroom. Do you think she should keep this information to herself?

[Anonymous]

We're going around in circles here. PP has a history that just makes her really upset about this. Even though the history has little to do with seizures, there's no convincing her. Its like kicking a hornet's nest. Let it go.

The fact is that it doesn't matter what any of us say on this thread. I am fairly certain that any nurse at any school in the country would tell parents if she thought there was a possibility that a child was having absence seizures. OP said she would speak to the nurse. the nurse will decide if concern is warranted. It will be taken from there. It really doesn't matter how upset some people on this thread are. I am certain that if the concern has any merit, the parents will be told. I am also certain that they will be grateful for the information, no matter what the outcome. I think any parent who wants the nurse to either keep it to herself or to refer very vaguely to the child blanking out, are outliers. And as I said, it doesn't matter anyway. the nurse will do the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I am 15:26. Go read what I wrote. My husband has a history of grand mal and absence seizures (as a child and they went away after several years) so I know all about them, thank you very much. I also know that, while I appreciated my son's teacher bringing her observations to my attention, what I did not appreciate was the absolute hysterics that followed with suggestions of LD/SPED and other nonsense being thrown around willy-nilly. Again, as it turns out, my son was fine. He is three for Chrissakes and was having a hard time with the transition to preschool. "Blanking out" for him was not seizures (as confirmed by three actual MD neurologists, thank you) but his way of protecting himself when he was feeling overwhelmed. This is perfectly normal. Previous daycare workers suggested ASD and our pediatrician LOL'd when we told her that, because he exhibits ZERO signs of ASD. But of course, just having someone say that (someone who, while lovely and a great care provider, doesn't even hold a BA and is not a child neuropsych) causes undue anxiety in first time parents.

So for all of you who deal with these issues, and have your wonderful stories of problems caught, great. Those of us advocating for teachers to know their place and to be very careful with how they speak to parents about these issues are not crazy awful parents who care more about our anxiety than we do about our children. Even suggesting that is hateful and totally unnecessary. All we are saying is that, especially for very young children, there may be multiple explanations and it is not a teacher's job to suggest a diagnosis, only to bring concerns and descriptions of specific behaviors to the attention of parents. Then it is the parents' job to determine next steps and to explore school resources if they wish. Trying to push OT and child psychs and all other manner of "help" when it is not determined that it is warranted or wanted is a step too far.

And the nanny state stuff came in because one of the uber-hysterical posters here suggested a law that would allow school nurses the power to enforce medical evaluations based on their unofficial diagnoses, which is just straight up crazy talk.

So what are you doing here on the SN forum? I'm here b/c my kid's teacher did us a favor by suggesting DS needed to be evaluated. Your son is "fine." I don't need you to protect me from evil teachers (and nurses) who overstep their bounds... and frankly, in my case, I wish my kid's teacher had told me right out instead of "beating around the bush" and trying not to hurt my feelings. Would have saved time...

[Anonymous]

New poster here, who doesn't understand the venom in this thread. We are on the SN board, folks. We have enough crap in our lives. Let's disagree but keep it respectful. No need to say STFU. No need to accuse people of not taking Xanax. Lord knows most of us have needed (and Maybe even taken) Xanax to get through our days. Let's not be nasty with each other - who needs yet something else to be upset about??! I mean, half of us know each other in real life, and we wouldn't
talk to each other like this on the carpool line or in the OT office. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

The Xanax and STFU person is not a SN parent just someone who was upset that some people had suggested her DS had ASD, LD, etc. So she feels the need to vent about teachers overstepping their bounds to SN parents whose children actually have these diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps teachers should just teach and not bring up anything that is not about academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Xanax and STFU person is not a SN parent just someone who was upset that some people had suggested her DS had ASD, LD, etc. So she feels the need to vent about teachers overstepping their bounds to SN parents whose children actually have these diagnosis.

Ahh this makes sense. Was wondering where the animosity came from. It felt very "general parenting" (which I don't read for just this reason).

[Anonymous]

OP here. I spoke to the nurse and she suggested I refer the child to our student support team. I have done so. I am worried this might go nowhere, however. This child does have an IEP and is extremely delayed in school. Multiple absence seizures every day could explain this; the student may have lost hundreds of hours of learning. And I am a special ed teacher who works with many kids with ADD and other attention issues. These staring episodes are qualitatively different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I spoke to the nurse and she suggested I refer the child to our student support team. I have done so. I am worried this might go nowhere, however. This child does have an IEP and is extremely delayed in school. Multiple absence seizures every day could explain this; the student may have lost hundreds of hours of learning. And I am a special ed teacher who works with many kids with ADD and other attention issues. These staring episodes are qualitatively different.

Does the child have a Special Education Case Manager? Please, if this was my child (who has an IEP), I would want to be informed ASAP if something like absence seizures were suspected.

Good luck to you and you are absolutely doing the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, OP. Hopefully everything works out for this child.

[Anonymous]

OP please ignore the angry parents on this thread who think you should ignore this. I'm a mom who would want to know. In fact if it turned out to be absence seizures and you had that concern I would be angry if you kept it to yourself.

[Anonymous]

Please be aware that as the child's teacher, you have a "duty of care" towards this child and if it turns out he is having absence seizures and you suspect it but fail to inform his parents about your suspicions, they can have grounds to sue you and/or the school system for failing to notify them.

Don't want to scare you but you should absolutely inform not just the nurse but the principal too who can contact the parents with your concerns.

[Anonymous]

OP, I hope you can do something more to bring the child's behavior to the parent's attention. I do not mean running to the parent screaming "seizures seizures", but something that can convey to the parents your observations and the strong suggestion to have the child be seen by a neurologist. I am concerned by the fact that you said the parent is poor and with very low education. I wonder if he/she has insurance and the means to take the child to a good doctor. my DH and i are very well educated (my DH in law and medical research), my father was a doctor, but when our DD at age 3 started showing some strange behaviors it took us 8 month to take her to a neurologist (we went to pediatrician, ear doctor, allergy doctor and others), and I confess that it never crossed my mind that her staring and her falling down could be absence seizures and drop seizures. I thought epilepsy was an illness where people start shaking and have foam coming out of their month. I did not know absence seizures even existed. I wish somebosy siggested that before we would not have waited 8 months. the neurologist did an EEG that was normal, but when we did the sleep deprived EEG, that showed very clearly epileptic activity. a generic suggestion to take to child to a doctor, to a poor and uneducated parent who probably does not have time and the means to properly help the child may not do.