People with epilepsy can still enjoy an active lifestyle.

Sports and Recreation

Most sports and recreational activities are both safe and beneficial for people with epilepsy, promoting fitness and stress reduction, as well as maintaining bone mass. Here are some safety tips:

• Wear the appropriate safety gear, such as helmets, flotation devices, elbow and kneepads.
• Exercise on soft surfaces like grass or mats whenever possible.
• Stay cool when exercising by taking frequent breaks.
• Swimming can be safe and enjoyable, but always with a buddy who is an experienced swimmer. Inform the lifeguard about your seizures, and consider wearing an easily identifiable bathing cap or flotation device.
• Consider avoiding or modifying sports with increased risk of a head injury. For example, touch football is safer than tackle (for anybody).
• When bicycling or rollerblading, wear a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads. If the helmet liner is damaged in an accident the entire helmet must be replaced.
• Avoid busy roads and solo trips.
• Avoid boating, snowmobiling or skiing alone. Consider the use of a safety strap and hook when riding the ski lift.
• Skydiving, deep-sea diving, or hang-gliding are not recommended.
• Before taking up sports that would put you in danger if you were suddenly unaware of what you were doing, review the risks and benefits.
• Thanks to the information provided by the Epilepsy Foundation of America in its brochure Safety and Seizures.

Transportation Safety
Are you someone who is likely to have a seizure when travelling?

• Don’t drive a car unless you have a valid license and are not having seizures.
• If you can’t drive because of epilepsy, explore local “Dial-a-Ride” services, paratransit and public transportation options. People with a disability are sometimes eligible for local discounts on transportation.
• If you have frequent seizures, the added safety of a taxicab may be worth the extra cost.
• If you wander during a seizure, consider taking a friend along when you travel.
  
• When taking a train, bus or airplane trip, if you need to travel with an attendant for your seizures, they may be eligible for a discount. Contact the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance in your area for more information.
• If escalators or stairs are unusually steep, consider using the elevator instead.
• On vacation, take enough medication along for the entire trip, and carry a copy of your prescription and doctor’s phone number with you.
• If your seizures have made you housebound, consider getting a seizure dog.
  

Workplace Safety
Jobs can often be made safer with a few changes, and in most jurisdiction employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for their employees with disabilities. Here are some useful tips:

• Review any job-related risks to you. Can something be changed to improve safety? Helpful advice is available from the Job Accommodation Specialist at the CCRW by phoning 1-800-664-0925 or 416-260-3060.
• Consider telling your co-workers that you have epilepsy and about correct seizure first aid. This often helps calm fears and corrects misconceptions. The Canadian Epilepsy Alliance in your area can help.
• Try to keep consistent work hours so you don’t go too long without sleep.
• Climb only as high as you can safely fall, especially on a concrete floor, unless you are protected by a reliable safety harness and wearing a secure hard hat or helmet.
• When working around machinery, check for safety features, such as automatic shut offs or safety guards.
• Depending on your job and demands of the work site, consider wearing protective clothing if you have frequent seizures.
• Keep a change of clothes at work in case your clothes get soiled during a seizure.
  

Photosensitive Epilepsy

A small percentage of people with epilepsy (usually children) are “photosensitive,” meaning that for them, strong, extremely rapid flashes or strobing effects are seizure triggers. If you are photosensitive, try to limit your exposure to flickering lights (such as strobe lights or highly animated computer games) and use dark glasses. When exposure is unavoidable, covering one eye will reduce the photosensitive effect. Watching TV or using a computer is not usually a problem for people with epilepsy.