Bullying Battles
Many people with epilepsy experience some form of bullying as children. If you are the parent of a child who is being harassed, here’s what to do.
1. Talk to the school. This could include your child’s teacher, school counselor, principal, or superintendent you can even try the State Department of Education. Let them know how your child is being treated, and work with them to come up with a plan to stop it.
2. Talk to your child’s doctor, in order to check for possible depression or emotional trauma that can go along with bullying.
3. Keep the lines of communication open with your child, to show support and monitor for signs of depression or other mental health issues.
4. Consider asking the school to give an educational presentation, such as the Anita Kaufmann Foundation’s free “Thinking About Epilepsy” program to increase awareness, heighten peers’ sensitivity, and move closer to the goal of eliminating bullying.
Originally printed in EpilepsyAdvocate, Spring 2018
