Preventing Epilepsy Deaths: Clinician Toolkit
Pediatric Examples of Empowering Conversations

When your pediatric patient has medication management and adherence complications

Determine why your patient is not taking their medications correctly

How well is [child’s name] doing taking their medication on time? Do you know how often they accidentally skip or miss a dose?

They don’t have a regular schedule, so I don’t think [child’s name] always remembers to take them at the same time in the morning.  I try to remind [child’s name], but I’m trying to give them independence and I’m not always home when [child’s name] wakes up.  Sometimes I think [child’s name] deliberately skips the morning medicine because of the way they make them feel.

Many of my patients, struggle with taking their medication on time, even adults.  It can be a lot for a child to manage. I have some suggestions that other children and parents have found helpful, and I can share them with you. 

Sure, I would love to learn about different tools, but that won’t change the way they make [child’s name] feel, so I don’t know if it will make a difference.

Many of the medications we use to treat seizures affect the body in other ways, and many children experience unintended effects.  We may be able to find different medications or even timing to help manage the side effects. Can you tell me more about the side effects [child’s name] is having as well as any changes in health or mood since starting this medication? We may be able to explore other medicines in addition to helping you with some tools to remind [child’s name] when it is time to take a dose.