Seizure First Aid: How to Respond When Someone Has an Episode

What Do You Do when Someone is Having a Seizure?

If you notice someone experiencing seizure symptoms then there are certain things you can do to help them avoid any additional damage. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke recommends the following sequence of actions:

1. Roll the person over onto their side. This will prevent them from choking on vomit or saliva.

2. Cushion the person’s head.

3. Loosen their collar so the person can breathe freely.

4. Take steps to maintain a clear airway; it may be necessary to grip the jaw gently, and tilt the head back slightly to open the airway more thoroughly.

5. Remove sharp or solid objects that the person might come into contact with.

6. Time the seizure and note details like how long did the seizure last and what were the symptoms as your observations can help medical personnel later. In case they have multiple seizure episodes then note time between episodes.

7. Stay by the person’s side throughout the seizure.

8. Stay calm. It will probably be over quickly.

9. Ask people around to stay back and not crowd.

10. After the seizure ends, help the person sit in a safe place as they may be tired, groggy, embarrassed, or disoriented. Once they are alert and able to communicate, tell them what happened in very simple terms.

11. Offer to call someone, or obtain further assistance, if they need it.

Things you must Not Do When Someone is having Seizure

Knowing what NOT to do is important for keeping a person safe during or after a seizure. Never do any of the following things:

1. Do NOT attempt to restrain the person unless failing to hold the them down could result in obvious bodily harm.

2. Do NOT put anything into their mouth. No medicines, no solid objects, no water, or not any foreign objects as they could choke on it. This can also injure their teeth or the jaw. You must also know that the person having a seizure cannot swallow his or her tongue and this is only a myth.

3. Do NOT shake the person or shout. This will not help.

4. Do not try to give mouth-to-mouth breaths (like CPR). People usually start breathing again on their own after a seizure.

When to seek medical help?

Not all seizures require immediate medical attention. But certain circumstances do require medical assistance, which includes:

Apart from epilepsy, seizures can have other types of causes. However, make sure to call an ambulance in case you come across a person experiencing a seizure under these conditions:

• If the seizure has taken place in water

• If the individual is diabetic or pregnant

• If the individual has a high fever

• If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes

• If the individual injures himself during the episode

• If the individual fails to retrieve consciousness after the seizure

• If the individual experiences another seizure episode after the first, without gaining consciousness

• If the individual stops breathing after the seizure is over.