What is the Epilepsy Classroom?

• The Epilepsy Classroom caters to the individual learning and social-emotional needs of children who have intractable Epilepsy, that is, ongoing seizure activity despite maximal medical treatment, as well as children who have recently undergone brain surgery for intractable Epilepsy
• The classroom is an initiative of The Centre for Brain & Mental Health at The Hospital for Sick Children
• It is a Section 23 classroom with the Ministry of Education of Ontario
• SickKids partners with the local school board; namely, the Toronto District Elementary School Board (TDSB) to provide programming
• Children who attend the classroom become students of SickKids, while their OSR is held within the TDSB
• We have a multidisciplinary team which incudes a special education teacher, educational assistants, development paediatrician, neuropsychologist and social worker to better understand the interplay between epilepsy and each student’s learning profile and social-emotional needs
• The classroom alternates between younger grades (grades 1 through 5) and older grades (grades 4 through 7) every other year
• For more details, refer to the goals of the classroom.

How do I enroll by child, student or patient?

A referral to the Epilepsy Classroom can be made by a parent, teacher/school, neurologist, paediatrician, family physician or other professional. Download the referral form.

If you have questions about whether the child is a suitable candidate for the classroom, please to not hesitate to contact Dr. Elizabeth Kerr, head of the Epilepsy Classroom, at 416-813-8371.