Depending on the age of siblings, their response to the epilepsy will vary. It can range from:
- Concern they can catch or also get epilepsy
- Fear for their sibling’s safety and life
- Embarrassment of their sibling with epilepsy or worry they will have a seizure in front of their friends
- Resentment about the extra time parents may spend with the child (going to appointments etc) or that their sibling ‘gets away with things’
- Sense of protectiveness
- Worry for their sibling’s future
Click on the videos to hear from Eddy and Jemma about growing up with a sibling with epilepsy.
Eddy talks about jealousy
Eddy talks about bullying
Jemma remembers her sister’s first seizure
Jemma talks about her sibling being bullied