What to Do If Someone Has a Seizure

I felt like I should post this for any epileptic(someone who has seizures regularly) or just in case someone just happens to have one around you. So please read this folks...especially if ya know me personally!!!

Tonic-Clonic seizures (This is what I, Javafoofoo, have. I hear I scared the living Bejesus out of people when I have one...)

The person loses consciousness, the body stiffens, then falls to the ground. This is followed by jerking movements. A blue tinge around the mouth is likely. This is due to irregular breathing. Loss of bladder and/or bowel control may occur. After a minute or two the jerking movements should stop and consciousness may slowly return.

DO...

Protect the person from injury - (remove harmful objects from nearby)
Cushion their head
Look for an epilepsy identity card or identity jewellery
Aid breathing by gently placing them in the recovery position once the seizure has finished


Be calmly reassuring
Stay with the person until recovery is complete

DON'T...

Restrain the person
Put anything in the person’s mouth (very impostrant people; you can break our teeth!)
Try to move the person unless they are in danger
Give the person anything to eat or drink until they are fully recovered
Attempt to bring them round

Call for an ambulance if...

You know it is the person’s first seizure
The seizure continues for more than five minutes
One tonic-clonic seizure follows another without the person regaining consciousness between seizures
The person is injured during the seizure
You believe the person needs urgent medical attention

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Seizures involving altered consciousness or behaviour

Simple partial seizures
Twitching, numbness, sweating, dizziness or nausea; disturbances to hearing, vision, smell or taste; a strong sense of deja vu.

Complex partial seizures
Plucking at clothes, smacking lips, swallowing repeatedly or wandering around. The person is not aware of their surroundings or of what they are doing.

Atonic seizures
Sudden loss of muscle control causing the person to fall to the ground. Recovery is quick.

Myoclonic seizures
Brief forceful jerks which can affect the whole body or just part of it. The jerking could be severe enough to make the person fall.

Absence seizures
The person may appear to be daydreaming or switching off. They are momentarily unconscious and totally unaware of what is happening around them.

DO...

Guide the person from danger
Look for an epilepsy identity card or identity jewellery
Stay with the person until recovery is complete
Be calmly reassuring
Explain anything that they may have missed

DON'T...

Restrain the person
Act in a way that could frighten them, such as making abrupt movements or shouting at them
Assume the person is aware of what is happening, or what has happened
Give the person anything to eat or drink until they are fully recovered
Attempt to bring them round

Call for an ambulance if...

You know it is the person's first seizure
The seizure continues for more than five minutes
One seizure follows another without the person regaining consciousness between them
The person is injured during the seizure
You believe the person needs urgent medical attention