Young people with epilepsy may experience motor difficulties, including issues with:
- Gross motor skills – related to the larger muscles used for actions like walking, jumping, throwing things and kicking balls
- Fine motor skills – related to the smaller muscles used for actions like picking up small objects, writing, using scissors and fastening clothing
- Coordination – using many parts of the body at the same time to perform a task, e.g. using a bat to hit a ball
A young person with motor skills difficulties may have poor handwriting and write more slowly, making it difficult for them to copy from the board or take notes from what someone’s said.
They may take longer to get changed for sports lessons and struggle with setting up and handling equipment. They may also be slower than their peers when moving around the building.
Strategies that may be useful include:
- Ergonomic pens for handwriting
- Additional time for getting changed for sports activities