Experiencing epilepsy through the eyes of a child in VR

A new 360° VR experience program called ‘Dizzying Reality’ allows users, especially in primary education, to experience a child's epilepsy from the inside out. Developed by De Berkenschutse, Landelijk Werkverband Onderwijs en Epilepsie (LWOE), and Boldly, the VR experience consists of five immersive scenes, four of which show different types of epileptic seizures from the perspective of a student. The goal is not only to raise awareness about epilepsy, but also to encourage greater understanding, support, and inclusion in the classroom.

The VR experience ‘Dizzying Reality’ has been specially developed for primary and secondary education, in close collaboration with teachers, parents, and healthcare professionals. Albert Westerling, itinerant education advisor at LWOE and expert at De Berkenschutse, emphasizes that the VR experience goes beyond just physical aspects and also shows the social impact of epilepsy. The feeling of disorientation, being unwillingly in the spotlight, and the reactions of classmates are difficult to express in words, but VR allows these feelings to be experienced. Yannick Boers, creative director at Boldly, adds that VR is ideal for temporarily placing yourself in a different perspective, making everyday reality and its disruption tangible. “The experience gets under your skin, and that's exactly the intention.”

Support and inclusion in the classroom

The goal of “Dizzying Reality” is not only to make children and teachers more aware of what epilepsy entails, but also to practice how they can respond to the child in a supportive and safe manner. The VR experience comes with educational materials and is designed to be accessible, scalable, and easy to use during awareness weeks, classroom projects, or staff training sessions. The initiators hope that the experience will become a permanent part of the educational offering around inclusion, health, and social safety.

Implementation in Education

The first applications of ‘Dizzying Reality’ will start this year in primary schools in collaboration with epilepsy networks throughout the Netherlands. The VR experience has been specially developed in close collaboration with teachers, parents, and healthcare professionals to ensure that it meets the needs of education. By incorporating the experience into their curricula, schools can make an important contribution to creating a more inclusive and understanding environment for children with epilepsy. It is hoped that ‘Dizzying Reality’ will contribute to an environment in which children with epilepsy feel safe and supported, both physically and socially.