Teachers and Epilepsy in Saudi Arabia: Gaps in Knowledge and Potential Roles

Abstract

Amal M Alkhotani Department of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Amal M AlkhotaniDepartment of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected]: In young children, epilepsy, a disorder marked by recurring seizures, is frequent. Schoolteachers play an important role in the development of young children and hence have a big impact on their psychosocial development. This study was carried out to examine the available data from Saudi Arabia in order to better understand the knowledge gap among Saudi instructors. Although schoolteachers’ knowledge in Saudi Arabia has improved over time, such that they now have significant knowledge that can affect student performance, social skill development, future endeavors, and life quality, a significant percentage still believes that epilepsy is linked to psychiatric illness. Few teachers have obtained first-aid training in the area of seizure treatment. It is consequently vital to improve instructors’ knowledge of seizure first aid. Teachers’ understanding and attitudes concerning epilepsy could be improved by health education. Schoolteachers should get focused and guided health education to improve their knowledge of epilepsy and change their attitudes.Keywords: epilepsy, teachers, awareness, seizures, young children, attitude, health education

Keywords

• epilepsy
• teachers
• awareness
• seizures
• young children
• attitude
• health education