May 2008 - Epilepsy Australia

Children with epilepsy – like all children – needto experience and enjoy outdoor recreation.Supervised camps provide a safe environment inwhich this can be achieved.meeting the gang againClare Thorne reports on Epilepsyguiding principle of EpilepsyA Tasmania’s community educationprogram is to build self esteem andconfidence in children with seizuredisorders. The friendships and learningexperiences camps provide is one of thebest ways to do this.Epilepsy camps were initiated inTasmania in December 1999 because ofrequests from parents and people withepilepsy to meet others who had similarconditions and experiences. They havealways proven to be the highlight ofevery year.Camps are often the only place aparent will feel confident that theirchild’s epilepsy will be properlymanaged and the only opportunity they22 THE EPILEPSY REPORT MAY 2008have to get a break. Many parents findthat their family members may be happyto look after their other children but arenot willing to take care of a child withepilepsy in case they have a seizure.While the major focus of our campsis to have fun, opportunities forcounselling and education are built intothe program. One of the best outcomes,people tell us, is just the chance tospend time with other people who reallyunderstand.In February the annual EpilepsyJunior Camp was held at the fantasticCamp Clayton on the North West Coastof Tasmania. Children, families andvolunteer carers from all over Tasmaniatravelled to attend.Campers arrived on Friday eveningand that time was spent getting settled inour cabins and playing some getting-toknow-yougames. It was lovely to see areal mix of first time campers and otherswho had been coming for many years.Saturday morning began with atalk about our epilepsy over breakfastfollowed by a swim at the beach. Aftermorning tea the very brave then wentover to the Giant Swing, while othersspent time in the games room. Afterlunch it was off to the Flying Fox –which was fantastic, even if the weatherwas a bit damp.As part of the evening’s entertainment,each regional group was to perform askit based around something to do with