I am Ruben. I’m 11 years old.
My epilepsy means I have absence seizures.
I’ll be doing something and when I have a seizure, I stop whatever I’m doing. I will lose my train of thought and stare blankly for about 10 seconds, maybe five, depends.
I take medication for my epilepsy, which has helped me a lot. My absence seizures have dropped from, like, 10 a day to, like, three.
When I grow up, I want to be a music producer. I produce music already, chill hop type music.
My friends are quite supportive of my epilepsy. They don't change how they act. They just see me as me, which I like about them. That's why they're my friends.
My teachers, they just didn't get it. And I got punished because they didn't understand, which was hurtful. And I felt singled out.
Some of my teachers would think that I was just daydreaming. I would get detentions and sanctions and stuff, and I'd miss out on play time. I just wasn't treated as fairly as the other students.
I had to leave my school because they didn't understand my epilepsy. I was disappointed because I had to leave all my friends behind, had to leave the whole school, which I loved, and it hurt me. I miss my friends. Because my friends see me.
I am home schooled now, my mum gets that I'm different from other kids and that I need more support to do my schooling. I feel grateful for everything she does.
Help teachers to see kids like me and understand they aren’t daydreaming.
I am Ruben. Understand my epilepsy.
Tell UK governments that they must ensure schools have an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) for every child with epilepsy.
