First Aid during an epilepsy seizure
It can be very alarming seeing someone undergo an epilepsy seizure, and it can even be quite frightening. However, if an adult is present, there is a lot they can do to make the sufferer more comfortable and even help alleviate the symptoms.
If you do happen to be near someone who does experience a seizure, the very first thing to remember is to not panic. This does nothing for the sufferer, and will only cause you to feel even more stressed and incapable as the seizure goes on. So take a few deep breaths and try your best to ensure the following happens.
The basic clear symptoms involve an alteration of consciousness. This means that the sufferer will generally act like they do not know what is going on, and this will be quite clear when you witness it. Other symptoms include a smacking of the lips, where the sufferer generally seems to be concerned with the dryness of his lips, and will start smacking them or licking them with his tongue. There may be difficulty in breathing or general discomfort with breathing.
If these kinds of symptoms occur and you know the person is an epilepsy sufferer (they will usually make it clear if you know them a little) then you have to go back to the first point about staying calm. This is is absolutely vital for the person, who needs all your help and can generally do nothing to help themselves when they are having a seizure.
Then, make sure that, whatever you do, you do not attempt to move the person anywhere else. There are a couple of good reasons for this advice. If the person is having a seizure, there is every chance they may hurt you or someone else when fitting. This is of course not on purpose, but it can most definitely happen, and can be quite distressing, not to mention painful.
You must stay with the person who is having the seizure. Never go away to do anything else, even call the ambulance. The person who is having the seizure needs you to be there if complications arise. Things could get more dangerous, for example the airways could become blocked if they have food in their mouth etc. so if you are there they can at least have a chance of surviving.
Move chairs and other hard objects away for the person who is having a seizure. Do this so they do not bump into these objects and cause themselves a serious injury. Then find a soft pillow or similar object and place it under the sufferer’s head. You can do this gently without causing harm.
At this stage it is important for you to try and turn the person onto their side so that they have less chance of choking. This again can be done carefully and gently to protect the sufferer.
Finally, if the seizure lasts anything longer than five minutes, you should stop everything and call the ambulance immediately.
Recent Comments