What to Do When Someone is Having a Seizure: Knowledge to Save a Life

Most people will at some point make the decision to learn basic first aid or CPR, and for good cause; you never know when you will see someone choking or in distress. It would be great if everyone learned these things, the world may be a safer place if that happened. There is one thing that the majority of people never consider: seeing someone have a seizure and the importance of knowing what to do.

We hear about heart attacks, choking, and allergic reactions all the time so of course we want to know what to do in those cases. It seems no one really talks about seizures unless their own life is in some way effected, thus leaving most people unprepared and/or unaware. I know that my family had no clue what a seizure was or what to do the day mine began and I am positive that we were not alone on that one.

The terrifying thing about seizures is that they can effect anyone, anytime. They can strike a perfectly healthy person with no warning and they don't differentiate between rich, poor, young, or old. Seizures can strike men, women, even infants and small children and the family may not have a clue how it happened or what to do. It may be at your place of work, or in a shopping mall that you witness a seizure and it can be frightening to watch. There are many things that you can do to help, whether it is a stranger or someone you know and love.

The first and possibly most important thing to remember is that you must stay calm and rational. Even if the person seizing has a history chances are they will wake up very frightened and confused. Most times the person isn't aware of what has happened, where they are, or even who they are. It could be someone you have known for years, all your life even, and when they wake up for those first few moments they can often be so disoriented that you are just a stranger standing over them. This can be extremely difficult for a parent or spouse to understand and often leaves them confused. You should keep in mind that once the person realizes what has happened they may begin to get upset or angry that this is happening to them and what they need more than anything is love and gentleness.

During my episodes some of the best calming techniques come with the compassion of those around me. A gentle stroke on the forehead or rub on the arm can have a deep effect on the mindset of the seizure patient. Always speak in a low voice and remind the person that everything will be OK, at a time when nothing seems to be OK that is truly helpful.

Never place anything in the patients mouth! There was for many years a tale floating around that when someone has a seizure you should place an object such as a piece of wood in their mouth in order to keep them from biting or swallowing their tongue. The numerous cases of broken teeth and fingers being bitten off caused doctors to retract this method. Please remember that during a seizure the risk of being injured trying to place something in a patients mouth and the danger to the patient is much higher than just leaving them alone.

The best thing to do as soon as the seizure begins is to clear the area around the patient, this will help keep them from being injured by foreign objects or furniture during convulsions. Never try to move the patient unless they are in a dangerous position, the body becomes very stiff and heavy during a seizure and you could be injured by an arm or leg that is under the control of the violent attack. If possible you should turn the patient on their side, in some cases a person will vomit during a seizure and this will help keep the airways open. Be mindful that a grand mal seizure can get very violent and the patient has absolutely no control of their own body. They may swing their arms, or legs and become stiff to the point that they seem to have super human strength. The patient may lose bladder or bowel control which can be very embarrassing when they regain consciousness, try not to focus attention to this as that will only worsen their embarrassment.

During some of my worst seizures I would stop breathing, if you notice that the patient is not breathing and/or turning blue an ambulance should be dispatched immediately. Even with a long history of seizures there are certain times when intervention by medical professionals is necessary. Any episode with loss of consciousness that is more than 10 minutes long should be reported to an emergency crew, seizures can be deadly and the lack of oxygen to the brain is a serious issue. If the convulsions have stopped and the patient is not breathing don't wait for help before beginning CPR, those first few minutes are vital and someone should be administering CPR while an ambulance is in route. There were many occasions when I had to have CPR during seizures, one in particular that required life flight to intubate and fly me to a trauma center. I was on life support for 15 hours and not expected to regain consciousness after 26 minutes without a breath. It was the quick thinking of those around me that saved my life that day, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a first responders convention.

If someone you love has a seizure disorder please get as educated as possible. Learn CPR and basic first aid, know how to spot a seizure and what to do. I have found a website that is very informative and a great resource for anyone living with this condition to be www.epilepsyfoundation.org

It is understandable and completely OK to be scared if you are in the position of seeing this first hand, but if you are prepared you will be more likely to overcome that fear and be able to help. When seconds matter there is no time for last minute education so learning it when you don't need it is a much better option than needing it when you haven't learned it.