Twinkle Toe Shoes cause epileptic seizures?

[themilesfamily]

We're not having class in the dark, but those lights are extremely bright. Several times, I've caught them out of the corner of my eye and thought the fire alarm was about to start ringing. So, yes, they can be a distraction, especially if multiple students are wearing them.
[/I]

Perhaps the risk for an epileptic student would be elevated in a darkened classroom -- when the class is watching a filmstrip or something. Flashing lights are more intense in the dark than in a brightly lit classroom.

I found this on a "Things that trigger seizures" page:

* Flickering lights: Some people with epilepsy are sensitive to light (photosensitive). This means that flashing lights or the flickering of televisions, video games or computer monitors can set off a seizure. Only about 1 in 20 people with epilepsy are affected in this way

OP, I guess those shoes will have to be your kids' after-school shoes. They ARE very cute!!

 

[C.Ann]

They are a HUGE distraction! Three girls in my class are wearing them today, and I feel like I'm at a disco.




We're not having class in the dark, but those lights are extremely bright. Several times, I've caught them out of the corner of my eye and thought the fire alarm was about to start ringing. So, yes, they can be a distraction, especially if multiple students are wearing them.


Disclaimer: My students are in Music right now, so I'm not checking out DIS while they're in the room.

Well - the above post is from a teacher - and if they are as distracting as what she is stating here, then I would be buying my child a new pair of sneakers/shoes and saving the Twinkle Toes for other occasions..

Based on the description above, I could definitely see that causing a migraine for me.. Causing seizures? Possibly - especially in children who are still having their medications adjusted to find just the "correct" dose..

 

[Scurvy]

What happened to just wearing normal shoes? I guess I'm the only parent who wouldn't buy light up shoes or heelies or fad footwear for school.

Oh no you aren't. I wouldn't send my child to school with light-up shoes, those shoes that squeak, Heelies, the shirts that have lights on them, those jingle-bell necklaces, or anything else that's likely to be a distraction. I don't think it's surprising for schools to ban things like that. Schools ban things all the time because they are too distracting, like "unnatural" hair colors or weird haircuts for example. Even aside from possible medical issues (which I don't claim to know anything about; I have no idea if they could cause seizures) those flashing lights are very distracting. I've noticed kids' shoes flashing in brightly lit places like Costco and Target before, and schools are not as bright as those places.

I do feel bad for anyone who bought something thinking their kid could wear it to school only to find out that they can't, but I personally think that if you buy anything outside of the norm you need to be prepared that the school might decide not to allow it. I hate the idea of school uniforms, but it's situations like this that make me wonder if maybe they are a good idea. At least then everyone would be on the same page.

 

[descovy]

slightly OT...

But I have 3 girls in the target age for these shoes... 10, 8, 6. We went to the movies last week and some little girl was kicking the seat in front of her to make the shoes light up.

In the movie theatre it was crazy distracting. Guess who complained the most?? My kids!

I dunno, I don't think I'd fight the school on this one. Just not a hill t die on. KWIM? I equate them to the "heelies." I imagine many school dress codes weren't prepared for "shoes with wheels" when they first came out. Now school/camp, etc... dress codes say "no healies."

Those twinkle toes are nothing like the "light up shoes" of yesteryear. They are crazingly bright. People will pay the $45 for a kid shoes BECAUSE they attract attention. Right???

If the school says it's distracting, well, they probably are. In fact, my handbook has the catch all phrase... "no ______, __________, ______ *or anything else deemed distracting." So in my school, they can say "no twinkle toes" even if isn't explicitly printed in the manual that predated such a crazy shoe...

If I were in your shoes I'd let her wear them on weekends... just not to the movies.

 

[Green Tea]

I can't believe you are mad! I would just be glad it wasn't my child affected by flashing lights. If you don't want to buy new shoes, cover the flashing light with tape of some sort for school.

 

[descovy]

Well to a lot of people right now it is a big deal to buy new shoes, many kids only get 1 pair of school shoes! and it isn't a potential medical problem. Until I see documentation I don't believe twinkling lights on a shoe are long enough or bright enough to cause a seizure.

Just sayin... because I DO have a tight back to school budget. But if I had$45 to spend on shoes (for fast growing kids no less!) that money would go for at least 2 pair of shoes! I have yet to spend that kind of money for just one pair.

TwinkleToes are a splurge... if money is tight, $45 can go a lot farther than a pair of canvas sneakers!

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I think the "distraction" issue is where the School should be staging their request from. The seizure issue is complicated and can probably be proven false simply through a request to the manufacturer. The flash rate needs to be in a certain Hz-range, and must last for a certain duration in order to be labeled a seizure-risk. I highly doubt the shoes fall into that category.

However, being a "distraction to the learning environment" is a very vague explanation that schools use for their dress code. The school should just hitch their wagon on that star and run with it. The change in the dress code will be easy to make, and easier to defend.

 

[Scurvy]

Well to a lot of people right now it is a big deal to buy new shoes, many kids only get 1 pair of school shoes! and it isn't a potential medical problem. Until I see documentation I don't believe twinkling lights on a shoe are long enough or bright enough to cause a seizure.

If it's a big enough deal to someone, they should do what a previous poster mentioned and do the research to find documentation that the shoes don't cause seizures. There's plenty of documentation that flashing lights can cause seizures, so the school doesn't really need to prove that part. The shoes I've seen are very bright, but I have no idea if they are the specific brand being discussed here. As for how long they flash - have you watched kids who are wearing those shoes? In my experience, kids with shoes that do stuff (like flash or squeak) tend to perpetually move their feet so the things never stop doing whatever they do. They are constantly kicking things or shuffling their feet or walking around so you never get a break from the flashing.

It seems completely reasonable to me that a school would not allow things that do something that is known to cause a serious health issue in some people. Flashing lights have been proven to cause seizures, which are very serious. If you want an exception to be made for the shoes, then you should find a way to prove that they flash in a way that can not possibly cause seizures.

Though honestly I agree with Toad_Passenger. The obvious solution is for the school to just classify the shoes as a distraction and ban them based on that. They are distracting, so there's no way anyone could argue with that ban.

 

[MIGrandma]

I wouldn't have purchased shoes of that type for my daughter to wear to school in the first place. Shoes that light up, heelies, etc. are for fun, to wear at home, or to the park, etc. Shoes of that type don't belong in school to cause distractions. Kids are distracted enough without adding extra things like light-up shoes into the mix.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

OP I would not buy new shoes. Light ups have been around forever and no school that I know of has banned them. Unless they can prove they are causing a seizure no way would I cave.

 

[ccgirl]

OP - due to medical privacy laws they cannot tell you if the student was in your childs class or not. You were asked to bring a new pair of shoes to class because they were found to comprimise the health of another student. I might be crazy but I don't really see an issue here. What I see is the school editing the handbook to include these flashing lights as banned items.

 

[onescgirl]

Because I am of the opinion that this is not a big deal (buying new shoes) and certainly not worth causing a potential medical problem for a student over. YMMV.

Buying new shoes is a big deal when their feet are growing. And, you're right, it's not worth causing a medical problem over. If that's the true case. I only wish it had been in the dress code. I read the code book this summer to see what was & not allowed to be worn before buying clothes as I do every year.

They are a HUGE distraction! Three girls in my class are wearing them today, and I feel like I'm at a disco.

We're not having class in the dark, but those lights are extremely bright. Several times, I've caught them out of the corner of my eye and thought the fire alarm was about to start ringing. So, yes, they can be a distraction, especially if multiple students are wearing them.

Disclaimer: My students are in Music right now, so I'm not checking out DIS while they're in the room.

Exactly! You're an adult & they are distracting you. You didn't say they were distracting the kids.
I cannot see kids complaining about these shoes. I'm wondering if they were bothering the teacher or if it bothered a parent. If so, that's what I should have been told not that it can cause a seizure.
That's what's in my thread title/post. Does anyone have an epileptic child or know of an actual case where the twinkle toe shoes caused a seizure?

I can't believe you are mad! I would just be glad it wasn't my child affected by flashing lights. If you don't want to buy new shoes, cover the flashing light with tape of some sort for school.

I've stated I understand if it's a child in her class that problems.
I'm only mad if I have to buy new shoes for something that is not legit.

Just sayin... because I DO have a tight back to school budget. But if I had$45 to spend on shoes (for fast growing kids no less!) that money would go for at least 2 pair of shoes! I have yet to spend that kind of money for just one pair.

TwinkleToes are a splurge... if money is tight, $45 can go a lot farther than a pair of canvas sneakers!

$45 was a big back-to-school splurge. It was what she picked & she didn't get as many clothes. You are right about fast growing kids. She will now not get as much wear out of them, before she grows out of them. That's what I'm sick about. I did waste my $ on them now that she cannot wear them. And, I will have to buy more shoes that she will outgrow.


No, I didn't think the shoes would be a problem at school. Students were wearing the Twinkle Toe shoes last year to school, so I did let her pick them out for this school year.

 

[daughtersrus]

I guess that I'm kind of surprises at some of the responses here.

I'm sure a lot of the attitude would change if they had a child with epilepsy.

Let's not forget that all seizures are not gran mal shaking spells. Absence and complex partial are much less obvious but still harmful.

 

[dawson5]

Can you call the company and find out if there is a way to disable the light? That way you won't have to buy new shoes.

Good luck.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

Buying new shoes is a big deal when their feet are growing. And, you're right, it's not worth causing a medical problem over. If that's the true case. I only wish it had been in the dress code. I read the code book this summer to see what was & not allowed to be worn before buying clothes as I do every year.



Exactly! You're an adult & they are distracting you. You didn't say they were distracting the kids.
I cannot see kids complaining about these shoes. I'm wondering if they were bothering the teacher or if it bothered a parent. If so, that's what I should have been told not that it can cause a seizure.
That's what's in my thread title/post. Does anyone have an epileptic child or know of an actual case where the twinkle toe shoes caused a seizure?



I've stated I understand if it's a child in her class that problems.
I'm only mad if I have to buy new shoes for something that is not legit.



$45 was a big back-to-school splurge. It was what she picked & she didn't get as many clothes. You are right about fast growing kids. She will now not get as much wear out of them, before she grows out of them. That's what I'm sick about. I did waste my $ on them now that she cannot wear them. And, I will have to buy more shoes that she will outgrow.


No, I didn't think the shoes would be a problem at school. Students were wearing the Twinkle Toe shoes last year to school, so I did let her pick them out for this school year.

That's the key right there why is it a problem this year & not last year? I would bring that up.

 

[onescgirl]

Can you call the company and find out if there is a way to disable the light? That way you won't have to buy new shoes.

Good luck.

That's a great solution, I'm going to check into that. Now, if they would invent on/off swiches on the shoes, they might could get even more sales!

 

[WDSearcher]

OP -- you kind of make it sound as though this is the only pair of shoes your daughter owns and that you bought them with the thought that she'd wear them every single day of school. If that's the case, then I can see why you'd be so upset.

But if your daughter has another pair she can wear for a few days, why not put her in them while this gets settled, and not rush right out to buy a new pair until you've had a chance to talk to the Vice Principal. You can ask about other kids with light-up shoes, find out if the complaint is valid, etc. before you spend money on other shoes.

Seems pretty simple. Unless, as I said, your daughter has no other wearable shoes.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

That's the key right there why is it a problem this year & not last year? I would bring that up.

Flashing can cause seizures & migraines for that matter.

If a child has been diagnosed over the summer with a seizure disorder you will never know because it's a HIPAA violation.

 

[Tinkermommy]

I think you will need to buy her new shoes.

I just got my daughter's student handbook today. They don't outright ban any specific clothing but there is a "any item of clothing that is deemed unsafe or is a distraction." clause. I guess these shoes would fit under that.

I have to think if they called you and asked you to bring a new pair in that same day then it is a problem with someone that she sees/interacts with often. Otherwise they would have sent a note home saying don't wear these anymore. And you don't/shouldn't get any info on another person's medical condition.

My daughter's school banned Silly Bandz last year so they can and will do what it takes if they find something that is disruptive and/or unsafe.

I would just go buy my DD new shoes. This is not a hill I would die on.

 

[krnlmustrd]

Can you call the company and find out if there is a way to disable the light? That way you won't have to buy new shoes.

Good luck.

One would assume there is a battery compartment somewhere. Perhaps you can just remove the battery and put it back in for special, non-school occassions.