The Bottom Line
By John M. Freeman, M.D., Eileen P.G. Vining, M.D., and Diana J. Pillas; 320 pages (2nd edition), 395 pages (3rd edition). From the book cover: "The essential 'Dr. Spock' for parents of a child with epilepsy." -- Timothy A. Pedley, M.D., Columbia University
Seeing a child have a seizure can be one of the scariest experiences a parent can have. The authors of this informative, panic-free book want you to calm down, take a deep breath, and realize the world has not come to an end. It's an empowering message.
Pros
- Easily understandable, calming advice on a scary subject.
- Well organized and illustrated to make information accessible.
- Uses brief case studies where needed, but not too many.
- Addresses both medical and practical concerns ("Can he ride a bike?").
- Positive, non-panicky attitude is a good one to pass on to the child having seizures.
Cons
- May make your realize how infrequently you get this kind of positivity from your doctors.
- Third edition may add more material than you really need.
- Once informed, you may start seeing symptoms that aren't actually there.
Description
- Introduction
- Part One: Why Do Seizures and Epilepsy Occur?
- Part Two: Diagnosing Seizures and Epilepsy
- Part Three: Treating Seizures and Epilepsy
- Part Four: Coping with Epilepsy
- Part Five: Living with Epilepsy
- Conclusion
- Glossary
- Index
Guide Review - Book Review: Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood - A Guide for Parents
I still remember the first time I saw my son have a seizure. I just knew he was dying. I remember holding him in my arms as we drove to the hospital and sobbing to my husband, "I think we're going to lose him!" But the seizure ended as we got to the ER, the doctors observed him for a while and sent him home, our neurologist saw him the next day and, by way of calming me down, recommended this book. I have been forever grateful.
Pretty much everything you could ever want to know about epilepsy and seizure disorders is spelled out here, in clear, understandable language. For many parents, reading this book will be about as far as they need to go -- many kids who have one seizure never have another, and there's no need to do anything about it. Others will appreciate the detailed discussion of diets, medication, surgery and lifestyle choices. But for all of the solid, much-appreciated information, the greatest gift this book gives parents is the confidence to not be afraid.
A note about the editions: The book that so helped me after my son's first seizure was the 2nd edition, and I still think that one's about as near perfect as any medical parenting book I've read. A 3rd edition has since come out, with 75 additional pages of material spread throughout the text, and the words "for parents" removed from the subtitle to include doctors and teachers in its readership. I'd say don't mess with perfection, but either edition is probably fine for parental use.
