Exams and epilepsy – support from school

With school exams in full swing around the UK over the last month, many children could be finding this a stressful time.

Stress and epilepsy are linked for many people and could be impacting children with epilepsy navigating exam period. Stress could be causing them to have more seizures, or seizures and their recovery periods could be affecting children’s exams.

The good news is that there is support that children with epilepsy could be able to access that can help. We share information on what exam support could be available and five top tips on managing stress during exam time.

Exam support

• A school or college may be able to put arrangements in place to help a child during exams. This could be things like supervised rest breaks during the exam, extra time to complete the exam, or taking the exam at a different place or time of day.
• Speak to the person in charge of special educational needs at school about options for extra support.
• The school may need permission to make these arrangements, so it’s best to speak to someone as early as possible.
• If a child’s exam is affected by something beyond their control, like if they have a seizure during the exam or are recovering from one, special consideration may be given by the exam board. This means they may adjust the child’s mark after the exam.
• Special consideration may also be given if a child has to miss the exam for a valid reason, such as being too unwell to attend after a seizure.
• If this is the case, speak to the exams officer at school.

Managing stress

Five top tips if you are struggling with exam pressure:

• Many people end up cramming for exams if they are pushed for time. But this could increase stress and affect sleep, which can be a seizure trigger for some people. Where possible, try to give yourself plenty of revision time and break the work down into smaller chunks.
• Take regular breaks from revising and do things you enjoy – this can help you feel less stressed.
• Make sure you get a good night’s sleep, have regular meals and take your medication as prescribed by your specialist.
• If exams are causing you to feel a lot of pressure, talk to someone – it could be a family member, teacher or friend.
• If stress is still affecting you a lot, you can also speak to your doctor or call the Epilepsy Action Helpline.

There is more information on school and epilepsy and exams and epilepsy on the Epilepsy Action website. There is also some more general information on managing stress during exams from Young Minds.