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I am not a psychologist or an
Submitted by Martin Kane on Tue, 2019-04-30 - 14:26
I am not a psychologist or an expert on epilepsy, but I was once a teenager and have raised several children throughout their teenage years. Kids can be kind and cruel as we all know. They are cruel when they see something unusual like seeing a teenager wearing a helmet in school. They can be kind when then know the girl and understand her story. Oh she has epilepsy. If she falls she could really injure herself. People wear helmets on their bikes so they don't injure themselves. How about having a school assembly about epilepsy. I am reading an English book called "I Smell Burning" written by a black English doctor telling the story of his brother who dies eventually from an epileptic fit and also a general history of epilepsy. In the past epileptics were terribly discriminated against since they were considered being little more than insane. The famous poet Emily Dickinson has been identified as a potential epilepsy victim. This was one of the explanations why she almost never left her room during her life. The social stigma was too great. George V, the recent English king, had one of his sons exiled for life to a castle in Scotland because of the shame. Gladly things have improved tremendously and while most people do not know much about the condition, they are also not likely to condemn epileptics today either.I was fascinated to learn about all of the famous people with epilepsy. Julius Caesar, He collapsed during a battle. The authors Fyodor Dostoevsky and Charles Dickens. Musicians Neil Young and Prince. Black Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner. She died from a seizure. The President Theodore Roosevelt - one of the most active of any of the Presidents. There is nothing like being associated with famous people to make something seem less important. Maybe even cool. I would suggest that either you or the student should give the presentation - if she was up to it. At the least she could be introduced and put on her helmet so that everyone can see and understand. I think life would be much happier for her in the future if everyone was a part of it. Good luck and best wishes.