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What would you do if the person next to you had a seizure?

By Beyond Paychecks on Thu, Aug 4, 2011 at 9:44 pm

As the mother of someone who has seizures, the news about Mike Patterson from the Eagles having a seizure during practice reminded me just how often seizures strike (The CDC estimates that 10% of people will have a seizure during their lifetime) and how unprepared the general public is to help during a seizure event.

Here are some seizure first aid tips to help you stay calm and provide support during a very scary moment:

Do NOT attempt to force ANYTHING (a wallet, a spoon, a tongue depressor, your hand) between the teeth. You can cause more damage than you can prevent.

Do NOT try to hold the person down during the seizure.

Turn the person to the side if vomiting occurs. Keep the person on his or her side while sleeping after the seizure is over.

If the person having a seizure turns blue or stops breathing, try to position their head to prevent their tongue from blocking their airways. Breathing usually starts on its own once the seizure is over.

CPR cannot be performed during the seizure, once the seizure is over check to see if the person is breathing if not you can start CPR at that time.

If the seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes call 911.

The person having the seizure may lose control of their bodily functions. Cover them with a blanket or jacket to respect their privacy.

If a person has repeated or prolonged seizures without regaining consciousness or returning to normal behavior, the body may develop a severe lack of oxygen. This is an emergency situation. Call 911.

Not all seizures are the result of epilepsy BUT if you are looking for more information about seizures The Epilepsy Foundation website is a great place to start.

Awareness and education around seizure first aid is a cause that this very close to my heart. PLEASE share this post with as many people as you can!

Thanks

Elizabeth

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