Hey Sam! I have been having symptoms of epilepsy and seizures for years now. and I've only just told my parents earlier this year. I need some advise on trying to convince my parents to take me to the doctors soon to get my head checked out and diagnosed.
but thats quite hard because its a visual seizure and i act completely normal during a seizures so they cant see me having one. I need some help
thank you x
Sam
Hi there,
Some illness and disability is invisible to other people, which can make it difficult to explain to them that you need support. Some seizures are not visible and you don't always lose consciousness when having them. These can be called partial seizures, but they are still just as serious as full seizures and you should see a doctor.
You can try being more assertive in explaining to your parents how you feel and what you need, but when parents don't take you for the medical help you need, this is called medical neglect. Your parents have a responsibility to make sure you get the medical help you deserve. No matter how old you are you’re entitled to confidential medical support and this is free anywhere in the UK. This means if your parents aren’t willing to take you to see a doctor, you can make a GP appointment yourself.
Making an appointment at the doctor might seem scary but they should make it as easy as they can. Try calling your GP or you could visit them in person to make an appointment, if you can easily get to it yourself.
Your GP might refer you to something called a specialist. This is a certain type of doctor who is highly trained in a specific area. This specialist might be further away than your GP, so at this point you may need an adult to help you get to the appointment. If this happens and your parents are still not willing to take you, then it's really important to find an adult you trust who could. This might be another family member or perhaps the parents of a friend.
Living with an invisible illness or disability is hard. You might have to explain to friends or people at school why you might be unwell sometimes, even though they can't see anything wrong. Getting support from your friends can make things easier as you don't need to worry about what happens if you have a seizure when you're around them at school. They can be there to help you when you need it.
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
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