BOWIE, Md., April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Epilepsy Foundation of America is proud to announce the release of the Epilepsy & Seizure Safe Classrooms Toolkit, a comprehensive educational resource designed to assist K-12 educators in creating safe and supportive classroom environments for students with epilepsy.
Epilepsy affects approximately 3.4 million people in the United States, including nearly 470,000 children. Recognizing the pivotal role educators play in the well-being of students, the Epilepsy & Seizure Safe Classrooms Toolkit provides age-appropriate materials tailored to various grade levels. These resources aim to equip teachers and school personnel with the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize seizures, administer appropriate first aid, and support students with epilepsy effectively.
Key Features of the Toolkit include:
- Educational PowerPoint Presentations: Engaging and informative presentations designed for different educational levels to facilitate classroom discussions about epilepsy and seizure first aid.
- New Short Video Series: Age-appropriate, student-friendly videos featuring real teens and peers sharing insights on epilepsy, seizure types, and first aid.
- On-Demand Course for High School Students: A self-paced course created just for high school students. Through real stories of students with epilepsy, interactive scenarios, and short videos, students build confidence in recognizing and responding to seizures and earn a certificate of completion in under 30 minutes. The on-demand course for high school students is included in the toolkit for educators to administer, but it also functions as a standalone resource for students. This allows students to access it directly, even outside of a formal school program.
- Seizure First Aid Resources: Access the Epilepsy Foundation’s Learning Portal for seizure recognition guidelines, first aid best practices, and self-paced training ensuring that school personnel are prepared to act promptly and appropriately in the event of a seizure.
“Educators are essential partners in supporting students with epilepsy," said Bernice Martin Lee, chief executive officer of the Epilepsy Foundation. "This toolkit offers practical, easy-to-use resources that not only prepare school staff to respond to seizures, but also help build inclusive, informed classrooms where every student feels safe and understood."
Educators and school administrators are encouraged to access the toolkit and integrate its resources into their classrooms. By doing so, they contribute to a more informed and supportive school community.
For more information and to download the Epilepsy & Seizure Safe Classrooms Toolkit, please visit the Epilepsy Foundation's Learning Portal.
This program was supported by Catalyst Pharmaceuticals as part of a financial assistance sponsorship to the Epilepsy Foundation.
About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is considered by world experts to be the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions.
About the Epilepsy Foundation of America
The Epilepsy Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by epilepsy through education, advocacy, research, and connection. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and to advocate for laws that matter to people with epilepsy, while also funding epilepsy research and supporting epilepsy investigators and specialists in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Foundation has helped to improve access to care for people with epilepsy and trained more than 600,000 people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services, and research for new therapies. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000; in Spanish at 866.748.8008 or laepilepsia.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.
Media Contact: Kaitlyn Gallagher 301.918.3756 kgallagher@efa.org
