A child is brought to the emergency department after experiencing a seizure at school. There is no previous history of seizures. The father tells the nurse that he cannot believe the child has epilepsy. The nurse's best response is:

Question

a. "Epilepsy is easily treated."
b. "Very few children have actual epilepsy."
c. "The seizure may or may not mean that your child has epilepsy."
d. "Your child has had only one convulsion; it probably won't happen again."

Answer 1

ANS: C
Seizures are the indispensable characteristic of epilepsy; however, not every seizure is epileptic. Epilepsy is a chronic seizure disorder with recurrent and unprovoked seizures. The treatment of epilepsy involves a thorough assessment to determine the type of seizure the child is having and the cause of events, followed by individualized therapy to allow the child to have as normal a life as possible. The nurse should not make generalized comments like "Very few children have actual epilepsy" and "Your child has had only one convulsion; it probably won't happen again" until further assessment is made.