Knowledge and attitudes of school teachers, preschool teachers and students in teacher training about epilepsy and emergency management of seizures

ProblemSchool and preschool teachers play a key role in the care of children with epilepsy. Yet, data about their knowledge on epilepsy are scarce.MethodsAssessment of knowledge and attitudes towards epilepsy in teachers by conducting a questionnaire survey in Leipzig and Blankenburg, Germany, from August 2013 to January 2014.Results1243 questionnaires were completed by 302 school teachers, 883 preschool teachers, 56 students and two unclassified participants. Of the respondents, 140 (11%) stated to have already been actively involved in an epilepsy emergency situation, another 148 (12%) as observers. Only 214 (17%) of respondents felt sufficiently prepared for an emergency. A rescue medication had already been applied by 79 (6%) of respondents; only 186 respondents (15%) stated they would be willing to administer a prescribed rescue medication under any circumstances. In response to an open-ended question about the most common fatal outcomes of a seizure, status epilepticus and drowning were rarely mentioned. 233 (19%) of respondents assumed that epileptic seizures cannot result in death. 606 (49%) of respondents were concerned about the legal repercussions to an incorrect response to a seizure.129/403 (32%) of teachers with >20 years of professional experience claimed never to have had a child suffering from epilepsy in their care, even though the prevalence of childhood epilepsy indicates that they should. In total, 1066 (86%) respondents expressed a desire to gain more knowledge on epilepsy.ConclusionsTraining programmes for teachers should be established. Furthermore, a clear legal regulatory framework needs to be set up.