Discovery Education and Epilepsy Foundation Partner to Expand Understanding of Epilepsy in U.S. Schools

-- Online lesson plans, first aid guides, training materials, and posters mailed to schools around the country help demystify condition affecting nearly 50 million people worldwide --

Washington, D.C. (Nov. 2, 2009) – Supporting National Epilepsy Awareness Month this November and the nearly 3 million Americans living with epilepsy, Discovery Education and the Epilepsy Foundation have partnered to launch Understanding Epilepsy.  Providing educators access to classroom resources that help broaden understanding about seizure disorders, Understanding Epilepsy also offers useful training materials for school nurses and administrators that ensure all school personnel know how to respond when someone experiences a seizure.

Available online at www.discoveryeducation.com/epilepsy, educators will find a wealth of free materials developed by the Epilepsy Foundation, including lesson plans, first aid guides, seizure training for school personnel, and online training for school nurses focused on managing students with seizures.  Free videos featuring teens living with epilepsy speaking about leading very fulfilled and active lives erase any stigmas associated with seizure disorders.  Visitors also will find information debunking a variety of seizure disorder myths, such as the truth about the possibility of someone swallowing his or her tongue during a seizure, what impact flashing lights and video games have on someone with or predisposed to epilepsy, and general facts about the different types of seizures.

“Epilepsy is not only the leading neurological disorder experienced by children, it is a condition where the primary non-medical problem confronting children with the condition is discrimination, stigma and social acceptance,” said Eric R. Hargis, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation.  “For this reason, we must empower our schools with facts about epilepsy and ensure that people can respond to a student having a seizure in a timely and appropriate fashion.”

“We are honored to partner with the Epilepsy Foundation in presenting critical materials designed to broaden the understanding of a condition that at any time could touch our lives,” said Discovery Education Vice President of Educational Partnerships Mary Rollins.  “The materials available through Understanding Epilepsy fulfill a need in providing educators the crucial information and resources that will undoubtedly leave an impact on their students by challenging preconceived notions and arming them with facts.”

Programs and materials available online include:

• Seizures and You: Take Charge of the Facts – an award-winning, school-based educational program with free lesson plans and multimedia to teach teens about epilepsy and seizures
• Take Charge of the Facts – a Web site created to accompany the Seizures and You program, designed especially for high-school students to explore on their own and hear directly from teens living with epilepsy
• Seizure Training for School Personnel – a program teaching seizure recognition and first aid
• Managing Students with Seizures – free online training through the National Association for School Nurses

Discovery Education and the Epilepsy Foundation are also mailing posters to schools around the country highlighting the truth about epilepsy and encouraging youth to get the facts.

Epilepsy directly affects 50 million people worldwide.  This year, another 200,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with the disorder, and to date, there is no known cure.

For more information about Discovery Education, visit www.discoveryeducation.com or call 800-323-9084.