A importância do envolvimento parental no desenvolvimento de crianças e adolescentes com Epilepsia

Abstract

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent crises resulting from excessive discharge of neurons very common in childhood. It affects all parameters of the epileptic’s life as well as the routine of their families and their psychosocial and academic potential in school context. This study focus on the dialectic between epilepsy, family and school, based on the comparative study of five cases. The instruments used were interview surveys by the Tutors and Teachers of Special Education: at first, we analyse the functioning of families in eleven routines, resulting in filing Form Combined EBI - SAFER proposed by McWilliam (2011), in the second, through interviews consisting of thirteen open questions we understood, under an educational perspective, the development of children and adolescents with epilepsy, in their many dimensions. The results allow us to conclude that children and adolescents with epilepsy have a certain predisposition to problems associated with the tasks of learning and school failure. They show autonomy and satisfactory adjustment in daily routines, although they have some limitations in social relations. It is very important having total parental involvement. There is an antagonism by the families towards the disease: on the one hand, if the parents show concern and seek to ensure taking medication, on the other hand, they devalue the prevention of the occurrence of seizures and use of appropriate procedure. The concerns and fears are similar to the others, with only a slight expansion. In the relation Family - School we are not facing a true collaboration: School assumes responsibility to organize, implement and evaluate educational responses and works as propellant training of children and adolescents with epilepsy, and inclusion and integration are essential aspects for the promotion of the development of these children and adolescents .

Date of Award	27 Mar 2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Filomena Ponte (Supervisor)