The Brazilian Association of Epilepsy (ABE) is launching a new program to guide and enable teachers and staff of public schools in the state of São Paulo, Brazil to better understand children and adolescents with epilepsy.
The “Program of Social Inclusion of Children and Adolescents with Epilepsy in School Environment” project will teach principals, coordinators, teachers, mediators, inspectors and students from 92 public schools about the disease. The expectation is that more than 100,000 students will have been impacted by the end of the year.
The program will enable participants to understand in a basic way what epilepsy is, so that they can provide the necessary care to students affected by the disease. The education professionals can then combine concepts with correct attitudes, contributing to the fight against prejudice, stigma, bullying and exclusion.
Video lessons on both the clinical and psychosocial aspects have been produced by ABE, as well as the release of the ‘Epilepsy Rap’, shown below.
Eplepsy Rap
Talking about epilepsy
Is talking about changes
We can’t change the world
Without changing people
Make up your mind!
Brain control us
And no one ever knows (A)
What can happen
“But hope lies ahead
If someone is suffering, let’s help”!
Sometimes sufferes feel
That there’s something wrong (B)
And this isn’t normal!
Look for decent people
Get help! (C)
Notice that everyone is the same!
This organ inside our head is a very rare piece.
It lets us breathe, dance, think and it never stops.
But from time to time it can conk out
And cause agitation, turmoil and many scares.
When this chaos shows up without any reason
The guy faints and wakes up without any friend.
I tell you: “Relax bro, it happens”!
Maybe you’ll go to the doctor and it disappears.
Epilepsy isn’t something simple.
If you have it you know you can’t hesitate.
Get medication on time!
Avoid triggers otherwise the seizure tightens!
A + B + C
What these people face bro, isn’t easy.
They’re strong, they’re warriors, they’re heroes by nature.
But there’s something hard to handle
Prejudice and intolerance are there to attack.
Now my friend I’ll tell you
Epileptic seizure isn’t something from the devil.
It’s not contagious and never out of spite.
Stop with fantasy and face reality.
Dog, parrot, everyone can have it.
No one gets rid of the obligations from beyond.
Just a brain is enough to have a seizure.
Just as Love requires only a heart.
A+B+C
For thousands of years, epilepsy has been hidden.
Who’d say that one day there would be such a shouting.
This suffered fight to take it off the pitch.
End with darkness through a flash.
Let there be light through a citizen’s attitude.
Let everybody be accepted as they are.
I’m sure Machado de Assis wanted so.
Therefore nobody wants to be different.
We can choose to have or not have humanity.
To be a human being is to love, to understand and to help others.
Scream and believe that everyone has their place!