seizures, strokes, what's the difference?

Say it ain't so. I wish it was a joke, but here in "the county" our esteemed psychologist, Dr. Z, just got through explaining that recurring absence seizures, which have gone undiagnosed, are akin to having mini strokes. Dr. Z, with his boundless beneficence, kindly explained to Billy's mother and grandmother that Billy is incapable of learning at the same level as his peers because of his recurring seizures. Let's clear up a few things first. 1. Billy has never seen a specialist ie. no neurologist 2. Billy has never had any neuroimaging studies 3. Billy suffers from absence seizures (drifting off/losing focus for a few seconds) not the dramatic tonic-clonic seizures which cause full body seizing 4. Billy has received seizure medication from the village general physician.

According to Dr. Z, since Billy "can't learn" he needs to be on the SpEd (Special Education) track (check out the post "SpEd is the new black"). True to form, Billy is now in SpEd and he now has an IEP (individualized education plan). Seizure problem solved...

Where do I come into this picture? I was on my planning period planning lessons and grading assignments when I got called to go to the "parent coordinator's" conference room. I'm thinking, "okay I must have a parent conference". Nope, the secretary tells me that my presence is required in an IEP meeting. At this point i'm extremely confused, so I ask what student this is for, and she tells me its for Billy. I'm thinking i'm in deep trouble for not following Billy's IEP even though I was never given an IEP for this boy, so I take his file and head down to the conference room. Dr. Z greets me warmly, as only Dr. Z can, and he tells me that my job is to sit there and listen. 

But I digress. So we arrive back at Dr. Z's analogy. If seizures are the same thing as strokes, then hunger pangs are the same thing as ulcers. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he tells a student that migraines are a symptom of permanent memory loss, or better yet, a fever means certain death.

                                                              seizures <-----> strokes 

                       (over excitability of our circuitry) <-----> (embolic or hemorrhagic)

I'm no neurologist nor am i a synaptic physiologist, but I happen to know a bit more than a thing or two about physiology and neurobiology. 

Well, when it comes to school psychologists I suppose the worst is better than none. 

The struggle is real