Health Care Providers

Women & Epilepsy

One of the goals of the Epilepsy Foundation's Women & Epilepsy Initiativeis to create awareness among health care providers of the difficulties confronting women with epilepsy. We hope that by providing this information to a woman's health care provider, the quality of care received will improve. As a health care professional, the following information sheets may be of interest to you as you provide care to female patients with epilepsy.

Antiepileptic Drug Use in Women with Epilepsy| Epilepsy and the Adolescent Female| Contraception for Women with Epilepsy| Genetic Influences on Epilepsy| Effective Communication with Women who have Epilepsy| Hormone-Sensitive Seizures| Epilepsy and Menopause| Nonepileptic Seizures| Epilepsy and Pregnancy -- Postpartum Issues| Parenting Issues for Women with Epilepsy| Epilepsy and Sexuality| Pregnancy and Epilepsy| Psychosocial Issues for Women with Epilepsy

Physicians & Driving Issues

While the confidential nature of the physician-patient relationship is of the utmost importance, there are circumstances in which the physician's obligation to his patient may be suspended. Read more about physicians and driving issues, including liability, immunity and reporting requirements.

Emergency & Law Enforcement Personnel

While the overwhelming majority of law enforcement and EMS personnel do an outstanding job recognizing and handling citizens experiencing seizures, in limited cases they may respond with inappropriate force to behaviors associated with seizures, especially complex partial seizures. These particular seizures cloud awareness, block normal communication, and produce a variety of undirected, involuntary and unorganized movements that may be erroneously viewed as aggression.The results can be fatal, especially when dangerous restraint practices are used.

» Information for Police and Other First Responders

» Key Points for Effective Seizure Response

» Excerpts from Police Training Curriculum

Childcare Professionals & Babysitters

» Babysitting

» Babysitter's Guide to First Aid

» Managing Prolonged Seizures in Children

School Nurses

The School Nurse program is designed to provide resources and supplementary material that will assist the school nurse with better managing and supporting students with seizures and epilepsy. Find out more about the School Nurse Program.

» Seizure Action Plan Forms

» Community Resources

» Printed and Multimedia Materials

» Fact Sheets on Epilepsy