Explaining Epilepsy to Your Kids Just Got Easier
It’s estimated one in 26 people will develop epilepsy sometime in their life. While the neurological disorder is prevalent for every age group, it’s more common for young children and older adults, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. Trying to explain epilepsy to children can be difficult, but that’s where Medikidz comes in. The company publishes comic books from kids’ perspectives that help families understand health issues. Now, Medikidz has partnered with Eisai to develop a comic book series called “Medikidz Explain Epilepsy.”
“We’re taking the real, clinical science behind the disease and medicine, and we’re explaining it to kids in a way they can understand,” Melissa Frascella, Medikidz Account Manager, told The Mighty. “It helps them feel empowered.”
Recently, Medikidz published the third of a four-part series, written from the perspective of a teenager with epilepsy. Megan, a 16-year-old, is the star of “Medikidz Explain Living With Epilepsy.”
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“It shows all aspects of it. The good, the bad and the ugly,” Megan says in a Medikidz video. The book emphasizes that people with epilepsy shouldn’t let epilepsy run their lives.
“I would tell other people with epilepsy to just do things,” Megan says. “Things that make you happy, things that you love, and don’t ever let epilepsy stop you from living your life.”
“Medikidz Explain Living With Epilepsy,” “Medikidz Explain Epilepsy” and “Medikidz Explain Seizure Assistance Dogs,” are available free to anyone. The books are also distributed to doctors offices and at community and advocacy events.
“Education is key to learn about and really understand what epilepsy is and how it affects the body,” Frascella told The Mighty.
You can learn more about Megan’s story in this video.
Margaret is excited to join The Mighty team for the summer as an editorial intern. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. A California native, Margaret loves going to the beach. She studied abroad in London for the spring semester and has caught the travel bug. In her free time, Margaret enjoys working out, baking and spending time with her family.
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