- September 28, 2011
What do do when someone has a seizure
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contributed by: BACI Family Support on
September 3rd, 2010
(2 votes) |
During a Convulsion
A person falls, their body becomes rigid, muscles jerk, and breathing may become shallow.
What should you do?
• Stay calm. Most seizures last less than five minutes.
• Do not restrain the person during the seizure.
• Protect the person from injury. If possible, ease the person to the floor. Move hazardous objects out
of their way.
• As soon as possible, gently roll the person onto their side.
• Loosen anything around their neck and remove their eyeglasses.
• Check for medical identification: a medical bracelet or necklace.
• Do not put anything in their mouth. A person cannot swallow their tongue.
• Afterwards, talk gently to comfort and reassure the person. Stay with them until they are re-oriented.
Other Seizures
Not all seizures are convulsive. A person may stare blankly, and appear dazed and unresponsive. They may walk in a purposeless and clumsy manner. These seizures usually last less than five minutes.
What should you do?
• Stay with the person. The person may be unaware of their actions.
• Move hazardous objects out of their way.
• Do not restrain the person during their seizure.
• Gently guide the person away from any danger.
• Afterwards, talk gently to reassure the person. Stay with them until they are re-oriented.
When should you call 911?
• When a seizure lasts longer than five minutes.
• When you find someone in a convulsion and you are unsure how long the seizure has lasted.
• When seizures repeat without full recovery between them.
• If the person appears confused for more than 20 minutes after a seizure.
• When a seizure has occurred in water.
• If the person is injured, pregnant, or has diabetes.
For more information, please contact the BC Epilepsy Society at
604-875-6704, info@bcepilepsy.com, or www.bcepilepsy.com.
First Aid for Seizures
Comments
What to do when someone has a seizure - re wheelchair
Submitted on February 9th, 2011 by CaronWhat to do if someone has a seizure in their wheelchair.
We have gathered advice from other families and have included the following in our daughter's Seizure Management Plan both at school and for community caregivers:
- do not attempt to remove person from wheelchair unless safe to do so
- move wheelchair as far from furniture, walls or objects that may cause injury
- put jacket or pillow behind their head to keep them from injury on headrest (we keep a small pillow in her wheelchair backpack at the top for easy access)
- gently keep head tilted to the side to allow saliva to drain
- ensure head does not become lodged between headrest and chair
- ensure legs/feet and arms are not restrained by wheelchair armrests or footrests
- ensure arms and legs can move freely and try to protect them from injury on wheelchair parts
Follow other seizure protocols.
