We all know the toll that this pandemic is having on children and their mental health. Let’s make this Easter their best one yet and fill the day with fun activities to make them feel super special during these trying times.
Easter egg hunt
What is Easter without an egg hunt? Some of my fondest Easter memories consist of racing my brother to an egg that we both spotted from across the room. Whether you choose to carry the hunt out in your garden or within your house, there is no doubt it’ll bring excitement, tastiness and laughter to your household this Easter Sunday.
Bake an Easter treat
There are so many yummy Easter treats that you and your little one could make this Easter – just about anything chocolatey would suffice! If you want to make something less chocolatey, bunny-shaped cookies would be ideal, or your favourite type of fairy cakes topped with buttercream icing and mini eggs would go down a treat!
Here is a simple, yet delicious, Easter favourite that’s quick, easy and perfect for making with young children.
Easter nest crispy cakes:
Ingredients:
150g dark chocolate (broken into little pieces)
50g butter
2 Tbsp honey
100g Rice Krispie cereal
36 Mini-Eggs
Method:
Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases.
Melt together the chocolate, butter and honey.
Add the Rice Krispies and stir well.
Spoon the mixture into the 12 cupcake cases. Gently press down with the back of a spoon to make small hollows and give a nest-like shape.
Pop three Mini-Eggs into each hollow.
Put the cakes into the fridge for around an hour (or until the cakes have set).
Enjoy a yummy Easter treat with your little one!
Decorate eggs
There are a couple of ways to go about getting creative with your egg decorating this Easter.
The first way is to keep it plain and simple: draw egg shapes on plain paper and cut these out, ready for your little one to draw, paint, glue, whatever it is you choose!
The second way is a little more complex, but much more rewarding. Plus, it’s nice to do something a little different on such a special holiday. This method includes hollowing out an egg – don’t worry, you are still able to use its contents (perhaps make some scrumptious scrambled egg for an Easter breakfast?).
To hollow the egg, take a needle and make a hole in one end of it. Be sure to push the needle all the way in and break the yolk. It is best to do this over a bowl to avoid excess mess.
Next, make a smaller hole on the other side of the egg. Blow through this hole and the contents of the egg should come out into the bowl below. Wash the empty egg under the tap and leave to dry before decorating.
When it comes to decorating, be as creative and messy as you choose! When I was younger, I loved decorating my eggs with paint, sequins, pom-poms, googly eyes, the whole lot!
Why do we celebrate Easter?
It is important to remind ourselves (and our kids) about why we celebrate Easter. Whether or not they are stories that you believe in, we should be aware of the origins of the holidays that we celebrate within our culture. Plus, what child doesn’t love storytime, right?
The CBeebies offers a whole page of information around celebrating Easter and where the tradition stems from. This page can be found here.
To encourage reading and engagement with books, why not buy a children’s book on the Easter story that you and your little one can read together on Easter?
A perfect finish to this storytime could be to find an Easter song that you and your child could sing to together. Who doesn’t love a good old dance and sing along?
Who knew the natural foods that we eat could have so many health benefits? Let this be your official guide to the wonders of our fruit and veg and the extraordinary effects that they have on our body, health, and general functioning.
The natural antibiotic
Its delicious taste aside, throughout history, garlic has been renowned for its medicinal and health benefits. It contains a range of nutrients and very little calories. It is known to be a ‘natural antibiotic’ as it combats sickness, especially the common cold! As well as giving your immune system the boost that it needs, it is said to:
reduce blood pressure
lower the risk of heart disease
contains antioxidants that minimise the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
“Eat your greens”
Due to their lack of sugars and being packed with vitamins and minerals, vegetables should be an even bigger part of our diets than fruit. Every meal that we eat should contain at least one set of our ‘greens’. Eating these healthy foods now will be extremely beneficial for your future self. They also have a range of benefits for everyday functioning. Here are just a few of the most beneficial vegetables and just some of their advantages:
Spinach – boosts energy and increases the health of blood
Sweet potatoes – great for people with diabetes as they regulate blood sugar
Broccoli – contains chemicals that inhibit the development of cancer within several organs
Carrots – encourages healthy eyesight and helps to prevent vision loss
Kale – promotes a healthy heart and lowers cholesterol
Ginger – a natural remedy for motion sickness, and is great for treating a cold
Asparagus – contains folate, which prevents disease and good to eat whilst pregnant
Delicious and nutritious
It is so important that fruit is an integral part of our lives, we should all be eating it every single day! The amount of health benefits that lies within fruit is astounding, and its sweet, delicious taste is a bonus. Below shows a range of fruits and why they should be a fundamental part of our diets:
Strawberries – fights aging
Bananas – boosts your energy levels
Cherries – promotes calmness and aids anxiety
Apples – boosts immune system and helps to protect against infections
Blueberries – strengthens your heart
Watermelons – encourages weight loss
Grapes – contains nutrients that are beneficial in combatting certain types of cancer
Oranges – protects skin and eye health
A citrus boost
It is surprising to learn the numerous benefits of drinking lemon water, especially on an empty stomach. Drinking it first thing in the morning is a great habit to pick up, ensuring you start your day the right way! However, frequent intake of lemon water can affect tooth enamel, it is best to drink it through a straw or wash your mouth out with water after drinking. Here are just a few of lemon water’s brilliant benefits:
boosts energy levels
improves skin health
promotes weight loss
rehydrates the entire body, including boosting brain functioning
relieves constipation
REMEMBER: It is recommended that we drink 2-3 litres of water a day, this amounts to around 8 glasses!
On Thursday 29th October, the audience at Stan Elliot presents: The Renaissance Sessions experienced a small snippet of normality in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.
It is no secret, the crippling effect that the pandemic has had on the music industry and the enjoyment of a live performance. The Guardian reported that a third of British musicians are considering quitting the industry “because of the financial difficulties they face, as performance opportunities are severely curtailed.”
But thanks to the genius and hard work of Charlie Long and Stan Elliot, some of us had the opportunity to forget about our pandemic troubles for the evening and – for the first time in around six months – sit back, relax and enjoy some live music.
During a time of cultural, political and economic ‘renaissance’, Stan Elliott and the Easy Peelers’ performance came as a great relief to many. Audience member, Sidney, described, “It was good to see live music after months of lockdown.”
Following a long stretch of performance prohibition, indoor, seated performances were allowed from 15th August 2020. However, this came with rules to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The bands’ gigs would usually be centred around dancing, so putting on a seated show was a new experience. Charlie Long, the band’s manager, has shared insight into putting on such an event:
“The venue set out a certain number of tables, allowing about 50 per show… We broke it into two parts, so we did the same show twice.
“You had to book as a whole table and in advance, following the rule of 6 guidelines… We weren’t allowed to play over a certain volume… We couldn’t encourage any singing around the tables… Crowd participation had to be reduced. Nobody being able to dance made the performance very different.
“Naturally, the band had a different approach. They knew they had to perform with the same energy but it was going to be experiential with more theatrics to it.”
The pandemic is also putting strain on venues, which is having negative implications on musicians. Long explains:
“The venue, and others too, are being careful to pick bands that they can trust to fill their tables, so that they can sell enough drinks to pay their staff. If we hadn’t sold out, we wouldn’t be asked again… But there was never any doubt that Stan would be able to carry a seated audience.”
Lead singer, Stan Elliot, has shared his thoughts on performing to a seated audience for the first time:
Stan Elliot, lead singer of Stan Elliot and the Easy Peelers. Credit: Charlie Long
“I got a reaction above and beyond what I was expecting… It’s interesting because there’s definitely positives and negatives… It was absolutely knackering getting up and doing it again, I was exhausted for four or five days afterwards! Even though it was so rewarding… I’d like to get back to doing gigs in the old fashioned way.
When speaking to audience members, it was clear to see how much they appreciated the performance. Spectator, David, shared, “I love live music! Live music is a huge loss with COVID. A lot of people use it as a big part of their lives. Many feel connected to music through watching it live.”
However, there was a unanimous feeling that something was missing from the event. Olivia commented, “Personally, I like to dance. As human beings we want to dance. It’s hard that we’re not allowed.”
But overall, the show was a huge success. Attendees described the performance as, “Atmospheric… Honed in on the music and talent… Immersive… Needed… Electric… Vibrant”. To have the opportunity to sit down and watch such raw talent was truly captivating.
This article was written for a Journalistic Research module in January 2021. We were tasked with reporting on a current event by writing a 600 word piece with an original angle.
It is no secret that the NHS is in crisis. There are stories sweeping the nation of underfunding, understaffing and waiting times that are just not good enough.
With the 2019 General Elections coming up, there have been promises made with regards to the NHS and care throughout all the political parties. In particular, Labour has pledged “£26bn additional funding for the NHS in England by 2023-24, with a focus on cutting waiting times and boosting mental health services”.
Figures have shown that the NHS have missed the waiting-time targets for A&E, operations and cancer treatments. A target across the NHS is for 95% of patients to be seen within four hours. This is something that has not been met since July 2015. During November 2019, the functioning of the NHS has been at its worst ever. Almost 30% of patients in A&E departments across major hospitals had to wait more than four hours to be seen. These statistics are worrying and a 10% increase on figures gathered from November 2018. They also indicate the worst performance on record.
Throughout November 2019, around 89,000 patients were on a trolley for longer than four hours in A&E waiting for a bed. 1,112 of these patients were forced to wait more than 12 hours. These are record-breaking figures and are a huge indication of the need for change. There are stories of these incidents going viral, such as the story of the four-year-old boy in the Leeds General Infirmary. He was suspected of having pneumonia and was forced to sleep on the floor after a doctor had rushed in and said that they needed the young boy’s bed for another patient.
Patients and their families are understandably distraught and unhappy with their experiences in these hospitals. Many of them praise the work of the medical staff as they can see the pressure the doctors and nurses are under in these difficult circumstances. It is clear to everybody involved that the problem is underfunding and understaffing within the NHS. Leading doctors are calling for an urgent action to boost the amount of staffing, bed numbers and GP services throughout the nation. Doctors and nurses within the NHS have expressed fears about the winter surge over the coming months.
There has been a clear correlation between the waiting times of patients and the growing demand of people in need of NHS care. In the same tough month of November 2019, there was an average of 18,652 patients being admitted per day. This was an average total of 559,556 patients for the month. It is understandable that the NHS had such a struggle coping with these numbers.
The quality of care and safety of patients are under threat. For example, during this same month, whilst 999 phone calls were still coming through, dozens of ambulances were held up at hospitals as there were delays handing the patients over to the A&E services. This put patients at risk as the ambulances are not equipped for this kind of care. Patients waiting for an ambulance were also at risk as the paramedics were unable to reach them.
There is also a high demand for routine surgeries. Doctors are under a huge amount of pressure as the waiting list for surgery reaches around 4.6 million. Only 85% of these patients are treated within 18 weeks of their referral. The Independent has reported that according to King’s Fund think tank, these figures suggest the worst performance since September 2008.
Throughout the country, different hospitals have been declaring a ‘black alert’ due to pressures on their staff. Below are some examples of some hospitals that declared a ‘black alert’ and the reasons why:
The Trust at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital stated a 46% rise on Saturday 7th December when 195 ambulances brought in sick patients.
The Lewisham and Greenham Trust reported its busiest day ever at Queen Elizabeth Hospital when 605 patients attended their A&E.
On Tuesday 10th December, North Middlesex University Hospital Trust declared a record for any Tuesday of 660 patients.
Nottingham University Hospital had to open an additional six beds and cancelled operations to try and make space as there were more than 30 patients waiting in their A&E department on Tuesday 10th December.
Although underfunding and understaffing is a pressing issue and reason for these troubling times in the NHS, it is clear that the rise in demand from patients is also a drastic factor. There are multiple reasons for these demands on the NHS. The growing population is of course a crucial element and the increase in the average life expectancy. Although the improvement in life expectancy is good news, it does not mean that the lives of the English population are healthy, and this could be what is putting so much pressure on our NHS.
Health and fitness are generally not a priority to people throughout the UK. Katie O’Malley has reported in the Independent that according to surveys, people in Britain get drunk more than anybody else in the world. In 2017, the Health Survey for England estimated that 28.7% of adults are obese and that a further 35.6% are overweight. Public Health England has reported that 34% of men and 42% of women are not adequately active for good health. If we were to improve the lifestyles and health of the nation through education and positive reinforcement, would this be a solution to our NHS crisis?
This article was written for an Introduction to Journalism module in December 2019. Our task was to write a 1,000 word news report based on a manifesto pledge from one of the political parties in the 2019 General Election.
In my research, I found many people spoke of the negative connotations of religion in relation to mental health. In his book The Future of an Illusion (published in 1927), Sigmund Freud stated “religion is comparable to a childhood neurosis”. He believed that religion was an illusion and “an attempt to get control over the sensory world”. Similarly, Albert Ellis declared in his book Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (published in 1937) that there is an “irrefutable causal relationship between religion and emotional and mental illness”. Over time psychologists have further studied religion in relation to mental health and there are now many different psychological terms, such as, religious psychosis, Religious Trauma Syndrome, religious abuse and Jerusalem Syndrome – these are all negative mental illnesses. However, I would like to put forward the argument that religion can have a positive effect on mental health. I will be discussing how it can be used to help somebody to find strength and peace through faith and practice. In particular, I will be researching the different ways that people use their religion to aid their mental health in Buddhism and Christianity.
First, let’s think about Christianity as a religion and what it means to be a Christian. It is a monotheistic religion, which means that they believe in only one God. However, one of the most important principles of Christianity is the belief in Jesus Christ and that he was the son of God who died to cleanse their sins through repentance. Many people who are not Christian believe that Jesus was alive but that he was just an ordinary man or a wise prophet. After Constantine declared the Roman Empire as Christian in 3rd-4th Century, there were many bishops who had different ideas about who Jesus was. For example, Athanasius believed that Jesus was one in substance with God, whereas Arius thought that he was only similar to the substance of God. This brought about the idea of the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In 367 CE, Constantine commissioned the first 50 testaments in the Nicene Creed, this formed the basis of Christianity. It is amazing how exponentially Christianity has grown, spreading worldwide and forming many different denominations, such as, Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism and many more.
Buddhism has very different roots. It emerged from the cultural landscape of Hinduism and can be traced back to a single founder, Siddhartha Gautama. He lived a very sheltered life as he was prince of a small kingdom, but he was intent on searching for an answer to end suffering. After years of meditation and seeking, Gautama finally found Enlightenment whilst meditating beneath a Bodhi tree. As this was during a time where society in India were Hindu, Buddhism shares many traditions with Hinduism but there are also many differences. For example, Gautama found Enlightenment in a calm, natural and peaceful way through meditation, whereas many Hindus attempted to find Enlightenment through practices such as fasting. Rather than being based around worshipping God, Buddhism focuses on knowledge (especially self-knowledge), elimination of worldly desires and determination not to hurt or kill people or animals. A Buddhist’s aim is to reach Nirvana, which is a state of perfect peace where their soul would be free from suffering forever. There are two main branches in Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayana. If a Buddhist is in the Theravada branch, they are atheistic and focus on wisdom and meditation. Many of these types of Buddhists believe in a monastic life and become monks or nuns in an attempt to reach Nirvana. Mahayana Buddhists are polytheistic. They do not think that you need to be a monk or nun in order to reach Nirvana and they wish for the salvation of all humanity, rather than looking for an individual escape.
Both religions have very different approaches, practices and beliefs. I would like to explore the different ways that these two religions approach mental health.
In Christianity, as there are so many different denominations and beliefs within the religion, there is not a consensus view on mental health issues and there can often be debates around it. This could be because as the Bible is so old, mental health is generally not talked about; at least not in terms of how we would talk about mental health today. However, there are many passages where biblical figures have been dealing with their feelings, which appear to be what we would today call depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts. For example: Job in Job 3:26 “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.”; Jonah in Jonah 4:3 “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”; Elijah in 1 Kings 19:4 “…And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”; and David in Psalm 38:4 “For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” I think this is evidence of an awareness of mental health and therefore is something that should be acknowledged by the Christian community and there are many who would agree.
There is often a view within Christianity that mental health can be associated with how close you are with God, which results from time spent praying, reading the Bible and attending church in worship. Sometimes Christians can interpret this and say that if somebody is struggling with mental health, it is a consequence of sin, turning their backs on God or a lack of faith. However, if you look at the three components of praying, reading the Bible and attending church separately and relate them to mental health, you will see that having these practices in your faith are beneficial in aiding mental well-being.
The three main parts of prayer is seeking forgiveness, talking about your worries and needs, and thanking God for what you have. Thinking about these things is a form of meditation and is good for your mental health, often self-help books recommend writing lists of similar themes. Reading the Bible could be beneficial in mental health as there are many verses that are encouraging and strengthening. For example, Nehemiah 8:10 “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”; Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”; and Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord, is an everlasting strength.” These verses also imply that you are not alone as God is with you, which would be comforting for somebody that is struggling with a mental illness. Similarly, going to church or a place of worship with other Christians, gives you a feeling of community and connects you to other people. One of the worst things for mental health is isolation, going to church gives you a support network and a place where you can confide in people.
As mentioned above, one of the main focuses of Buddhism is self-knowledge. Although it is essentially a spiritual tradition, it is overall a lifestyle that centres around the mind and finding Nirvana, a state of inner peace and happiness. Jude Demers is a Buddhist who lives with a mental illness and he states that “Buddhism is known as the science of the mind”. This comes from the idea that when practicing Buddhism, you try different “experiments” on your mind to find what works for you. This is referred to as mental training and enables you to find inner peace. Buddhist doctrine tells us that happiness comes from inner peace.
Meditation is a fundamental part of mental training. Many studies have shown that meditation is beneficial to mental health as it helps to reduce symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety. The idea behind meditation is to recognise negative thoughts that have no benefit and to release them. Meditation is a very big part of Buddhism as the founder, Siddhartha Gautama, found Enlightenment whilst meditating.
Another crucial part of Buddhism is showing kindness and compassion towards others. A well-known quote of Gautama is “If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path”, this puts forward the idea that helping others and being connected with the people around you is good for you and your mental well-being. Jason Henninger is an expert in Buddhism, he states “Buddhism gives a person a feeling like being a wave in the ocean rather than feel like one’s life is an isolated phenomenon.” As mentioned before, the feeling of isolation is detrimental to somebody with a mental illness, being in a religion that teaches you to connect with others and to be compassionate will stop people from feeling alone. Helping others also makes you feel good about yourself and enables you to feel a sense of accomplishment, taking your mind off your own worries.
A Buddhist teaching that is often misunderstood is Karma. People often view Karma as “you get what you do”. However, in Buddhism the concept of Karma is the belief that people are able to change circumstances they face in their life through awareness. The idea is that through mindfulness Buddhists become aware of the nature of their surroundings and decide on how they act on it. For example, Buddhists believe that having hope is a decision you make, alternatively losing hope would also be a decision. This doctrine is meant to represent responsibility and empowerment. This can be put into practice to aid people in their mental health. As Gautama said, “The mind is everything. What you think you become”.
Buddhism is a religion that originated and is predominantly in Eastern (specifically Asian) culture. Interestingly, many Buddhist practices have been woven into Western civilisation. Psychologists and self-help books often recommend Buddhist practices, such as mindfulness, yoga and meditation, to help with mental health. It appears Buddhist teachings and practices have become very prominent in Western culture; however, it is more of a psychological approach rather than a spiritual concept so therefore is not the Buddhist religion. This suggests that the Buddhist religion and the practices and teachings within it can have a very beneficial effect on your mental health.
Religion as a whole helps with your mental health in various ways. It gives you a sense of purpose and helps you to realise what is important to you in your life. This enables you to focus on these and less so on the unimportant things. This connects you to the world, having a sense of purpose helps you to appreciate your worth. The belief that you are part of something bigger or that God is in control, relieves some of the pressure for things that go wrong in your life and gives you hope when times are tough. Having a support network within your religious community is a massive benefit to those struggling with their mental health. Finally, many religions teach you to look after your body, for example, in 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit”. Similarly, Gautama said “Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care”. Looking after your body and leading a healthy life is crucial to your mental well-being.
I feel my research is evidence of the beneficial effects that religion can have on your mental health. Across the world there are many people in very difficult circumstances and sometimes all they have is their religion. It offers people hope as they have faith and a feeling of not being alone, whether that is the belief that God is with them or a sense of community in others practicing their religion as well. There are of course negative implications from religion as it can have negative effects on you emotionally and psychologically, however I think that this is down to the environment those people are in. If harnessed correctly, religion can have a wonderful impact on somebody’s life.
This piece is actually an essay that I wrote for a Global Religions module. We were tasked with exploring two religions and their attitude towards a social issue of our choice.
There are over 500,000 people with epilepsy in the UK alone, so why is there not a greater awareness of the condition?
The first time my younger brother had a seizure, he was in class at school. I was in a history lesson at the time and was called upon to go to him. I ran to his classroom where his teacher looked unsettled. She had initially thought he was playing around and had told him off. A few days after the incident, another teacher was overheard saying to a colleague that he hoped my brother falling over had “knocked some sense into him”.
After being given tests and scans, my brother was soon diagnosed with Focal Onset Secondary Generalised Epilepsy in the left temporal lobe of his brain. We learnt that his brain was having constant spikes. At school he was often told off for not concentrating or writing down homework and was labelled “one of the naughty kids”; when in fact, due to his neurological disorder, epilepsy, he was having constant miniature seizures and this is why he struggled in lessons.
The school took a proactive approach to my brother’s experience. They carried out a course on epilepsy, endeavouring to spread awareness of the illness across the teaching staff. However, this is something that has had a profound impact on my younger brother’s life and I wonder, if there had been a greater understanding of epilepsy in schools, would my brother have had to suffer in this way? The school could have recognised signs of epilepsy, rather than assuming laziness and incompetence.
Figure 1 shows an average person’s EEG results. Figure 2 shows my younger brother’s EEG results. Both were taken whilst the patients were resting.
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a complex neurological condition that has physical, mental and emotional consequences on those who suffer from it. One is only diagnosed with epilepsy once they have had recurring seizures that stem from the brain. A seizure occurs when there is a sudden interruption to the brain’s neurones that causes an abnormal response. Not all seizures are caused by epilepsy but there are over forty different types of epileptic seizures – this is what makes it such a complex condition. As there are so many types of seizures, each person is affected by, deals with and recovers from them differently.
Many people are mistaken in thinking that epilepsy is something that will not affect them in their lifetime. But the scary truth is that anybody can develop epilepsy at any point of their life. No matter your age, race or social class, you or a loved one could experience epilepsy. Current statistics show that there are over 500,000 people with epilepsy in the UK alone, this is approximately 1 in 100. Over 65s and children are the most common to be diagnosed with the condition. As epilepsy is such an intricate illness and can vary from person to person, the cause of an individual’s epilepsy can be difficult to determine. However, the most common causes are head injuries, difficulties during birth or genetic inheritance.
Thankfully, due to extensive knowledge and understanding of epilepsy among professionals, seizures can usually be controlled by medication. Additionally, as epilepsy is often triggered by pubescent change, it is common for children to outgrow it. However, in very extreme cases, SUDEP is a daunting possibility within the illness. SUDEP stands for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy and affects approximately 1 in 1000 people with the disorder.
A call for education
During the 21st Century there has been an increase in awareness and understanding of medical conditions and illnesses across society. So why is there an underlying ignorance when discussing an illness as diverse and severe as epilepsy? Mental health and well-being are now a major part of school systems, however, there seems to be an absence of discussion regarding illnesses like epilepsy.
Results of a survey created as research for this article indicate that although 100% of the people knew what epilepsy is, 85% did not recall the topic being discussed in their schools. Only 52.5% of the survey participants would know what to do if somebody was having a seizure, and just 35% know about the different types of epilepsy and seizures.
One participant commented, “My school did not touch on epilepsy at all, all children should be educated on how to deal with epilepsy as it can help protect their friends or people they might meet in the future”.
Similarly, another participant shared, “I was never taught about it and it would of been helpful to know, but I taught myself how to handle it from the internet and NHS guidelines that I looked at”.
Results of an epilepsy awareness survey created as research for this article.
The importance of raising awareness
There are many reasons for why schools should raise awareness and education of epilepsy. As the condition can be developed by anybody and there are no physical signs of the illness, it is crucial that there is some sort of basic understanding across society. When somebody has a seizure, it is a very scary experience – both for the individual with epilepsy and the people witnessing it. If there is a basic knowledge of what to do when somebody has a seizure and an understanding of why this is happening, the experience becomes less frightening. This enables the individual to come around from the seizure in a calm and safe environment.
Additionally, epilepsy has a detrimental effect on your mental health. It is common for an individual to feel a sense of loss or major restriction once they have been diagnosed with epilepsy, as it is such a life changing condition. Often anxiety and depression go hand-in-hand with epilepsy, due to it having such restrictions on your life and the fear of losing control over your body at any point in time. Enuresis is a possibility during seizures, which can be difficult to deal with, especially if this happens during school in front of classmates. An understanding among your peers and being surrounded by people that are comfortable and supportive of a condition like epilepsy, can make all the difference in overcoming any mental health difficulties related to the illness.
Puberty and a change in hormones can trigger seizures in young people. The NHS states, “Around one child in every 200 has epilepsy, and while some will grow out of it, others won’t”. Similarly, in 2013 the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) estimated that “there were approximately 34,000 young people under 18 with a diagnosis of epilepsy and taking anti-epileptic drugs in England”. This shows the importance of the education and awareness of epilepsy in schools, as it affects so many young people across our country.
Bringing in mandatory awareness and education of epilepsy within our education system would mean that this information would be shared with families at home. Before long there would be a much wider understanding of the condition throughout our society.
Information and courses that are available for schools
There are many epileptic charities that work to support research, provide information, and offer help and advice for coping with epilepsy. Epilepsy Action, Young Epilepsy and Epilepsy Connections are charities that offer a range of courses and lesson plans that were created to raise awareness and education of epilepsy in schools.
“A very short session can convey so much information about what epilepsy is, what seizures are, what things can people do and not do when a seizure happens, and it can then be addressed very easily,” said Colleen Wilson, the Education and Outreach Worker for the Schools Project at Epilepsy Connections. “If we can give people knowledge and information across communities, it can have a positive impact on lives.”
“In my generation, there is a stigma and negative concepts about it [epilepsy], but you can get rid of that with the generation that is coming up.”
Colleen Wilson, Education and Outreach Worker at Epilepsy Connections
Wilson’s role is to raise awareness of epilepsy in school communities in the Glasgow area. From April 2019 – March 2020, the Schools Project reached “914 primary and secondary school pupils; 360 primary school pupils (Assemblies); 18 Girl Guides group; 35 college students” and attended “3 x Curiosity Live events at Glasgow Science Centre”.
It is encouraging to see that there are such amazing projects in place to raise awareness of epilepsy. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. Wilson shared concerns that available courses are usually sought once there has already been an epileptic incident within a school.
It is common for a child with epilepsy to be an “underachiever” and to be labelled a “naughty child” or “the cheeky one”, as the condition can have such diverse effects on an individual’s behaviour. This needs to be tackled. There should be a basic knowledge of epilepsy in place so that a school is already prepared to support and nurture an individual with epilepsy. This basic understanding throughout schools would mean that teachers could recognise these signs or symptoms before there are unmerited negative impacts on a child’s life.
Raising awareness is not only beneficial for an individual with epilepsy, but it makes the students and teachers of a school more comfortable. Three girls in my younger brother’s class cried when he had his first fit. The teacher was not equipped with the knowledge to deal with a seizure. Knowing what to do when somebody is having a seizure creates a calmer atmosphere and less disruption to a school day.
So please, be interested in this complex condition. Familiarise yourself with a basic understanding of epilepsy and it will have a positive impact on so many lives.
The ban of single-use plastics is sweeping our nations. Many are surprised to find that Africa is leading our planet in the eradication of single-use plastic bags. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 34 out of 54 African countries have banned single-use plastic bags; this is closely followed by 29 out of 44 countries in Europe with a ban.
Why have so many African countries taken action?
If you have ever visited an African country, you will understand how apparent their need for action is. This is due to their countries not having the same recycling and waste-collection luxuries that more developed ones have. Sadly, South Africa is so littered with plastic bags that people often joke that they are the “new national flower”.
Some countries have only implemented a plastic bag levy, such as South Africa’s introduction of this in 2004. A downside of a plastic bag levy is that many retailers charge more than the standard amount, making a profit from the selling of plastic bags.
How are the bans being executed?
Although many bans have been implemented, not all are enforced. Some countries have found it difficult to keep on top of the ban or take action against those defying it.
Some countries have very harsh penalties, such as Kenya’s 2017 ban implementing fines of up to $38,000 or four years’ imprisonment. Other countries have less harsh results, such as in Cameroon, where their law mainly targets small consumers and business owners and the penalty is a fine of $30 or several weeks in jail.
After years of discussion and attempts, on 1st June 2019, Tanzania became the most recent African country to ban single-use plastic bags. It is one of the first countries in the world to bring this ban into play at their borders and airports for access to be granted into their country.
Have the bans had an effect?
Most countries have only brought about the ban in the last five years; therefore, it is too soon to get a full idea of whether these bans have been effective.
Rwanda brought in their ban in 2008 and is considered one of the most advanced African countries in fighting against plastic pollution. Ten years later and their city, Kigali, is considered worldwide as one of the cleanest cities. This implies that these bans are effective and should in time lower the continent’s plastic pollution.
An infographic I designed showing examples of African countries that have banned the use of single-use plastic bags and the year it happened.
I wrote this article in November 2019 for a Journalistic Research module as part of a writing portfolio. The theme surrounding this piece was single-use plastics.
GRACEFULL REFLECTIONS 