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22 - Parenting for women with epilepsy

from Part V - Family planning, pregnancy, and parenting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2009

Mimi Callanan
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford Hospital, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Martha J. Morrell
Affiliation:
Columbia University, New York
Kerry L. Flynn
Affiliation:
Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
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Summary

Mimi Callanan is an Epilepsy Nurse Specialist at the Stanford Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. She has spent her career caring for people with epilepsy and is familiar with the concerns common to any new parents with epilepsy. In this chapter, she discusses the seizure-related risks of parenting a small child and offers reasonable and helpful suggestions to make a home environment that ensures your child's safety. I think you'll find this chapter reassuring. In my practice I have often met women with epilepsy who were told early in their lives that they should not have children because they would not be fit parents. Some women have carried that advice around inside themselves for years without ever challenging it. It is hoped that this chapter will make clear that being a parent is hard and wonderful for everyone. Women with epilepsy have special challenges that require some additional accommodation – but, after that, it's every Mom for herself!

MJM

The birth of a new baby can be one of the most exciting and fulfilling events in a woman's life, yet it is also a time of many fears and anxiety. The birth of a new baby requires major adjustments in life. These events may cause changes in roles and responsibilities within the family structure.

Planning a family for the woman with epilepsy cannot begin too soon. With the onset of menstruation or when her epilepsy is first diagnosed, the woman with epilepsy can work with her physician to discuss pregnancy and childbearing.

Type
Chapter
Information
Women with Epilepsy
A Handbook of Health and Treatment Issues
, pp. 228 - 234
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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References

Devinsky, O, Yerby, M.Women with epilepsy. Neurol Clin 1994; 12:479–95CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yerby, M, Devinsky, O.Epilepsy and pregnancy. Neurological complications of pregnancy. Adv Neurol 1994; 64:45–63Google Scholar

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  • Parenting for women with epilepsy
    • By Mimi Callanan, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford Hospital, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.022
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  • Parenting for women with epilepsy
    • By Mimi Callanan, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford Hospital, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.022
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Parenting for women with epilepsy
    • By Mimi Callanan, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford Hospital, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.022
Available formats
×