is epilepsy considerd special needs?

those drugs are.
now depending on the type of epliepsy, my MIL has the most severe kind (the kind that causes brain damage) so for her meds are paramount.
But if its a smaller more managable sezuire it would depend on your child's life and how it was impacted by the type of sezuire.

Small sezuires (the daydreaming type) might be managed without meds, but the sedating effect of the sezuires can be equal to the exhaustion after a spell depending on his symptoms. There's a diet is it ketatonic? not sure the name but its a high fat diet that has been shown to help with epilepsy...

I have strobe light epliepsy very common but not an indication for meds.
unless I was a strobe light honey

See a naturopath, seek options as the meds can be quite sedating and I am sure a growing child needs as little mental sedation as possible.

hello again

I just replied to you in the Health and Healing forum, but wanted to add another hug here. Yes..epilepsy is a "special need" although there aren't many of this kind of special need on this particular forum.

The ketogenic diet mention by pp is a very harsh, strict diet that can also cause harm to the body. It is best reserved for uncontrolled seizures and only under supervision of a doc/naturopath who has experience with it.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find a ped neuro who is willing to try alternative therapies. If you live close to NYC, PM me and I'll give you the name of one we are trying to switch to.

It is possible for absence seizures to turn into grand mal seizures. It is called the "kindling" effect. BUT..if you can find an alternative therapy that actually controls the seizures he is having, then you can "put out the fire" and avoid that.

I wish I could give you answers, but I'm still trying to find those answers myself. Some folks on the Epilepsy foundation messageboards (www.efa.org) will have some good insight on the Zarontin.

s