What to Do if Someone Has a Seizure

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What to do when someone has a seizure

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On this page, find out what to do if you see someone having a tonic-clonic or focal seizure. Nosotros explain how you can aid, and when you should call for an ambulance.

Tonic-clonic (convulsive) seizures

Tonic-clonic seizures are the blazon of seizure most people recognise. They used to be called grand mal seizures. Someone having a tonic-clonic seizure goes stiff, loses consciousness, falls to the floor and begins to wiggle or quake. They may become blueish around the oral cavity due to irregular breathing. Sometimes they may lose control of their bladder or bowels, and bite their natural language or the inside of their mouth.

Here'southward how to help if you see someone having a tonic-clonic seizure.

Practise:

• Protect them from injury (remove harmful objects from nearby)
• Absorber their head
• Look for an epilepsy identity card or identity jewellery – it may give you lot information virtually their seizures and what to do
• Fourth dimension how long the seizure lasts
• Aid breathing by gently placing them in the recovery position once the jerking has stopped (come across picture)
• Stay with the them until they are fully recovered
• Exist calmly reassuring

Don't:

• Don't restrain their movements
• Don't put anything in their oral cavity
• Don't try to move them unless they are in danger
• Don't give them anything to consume or drink until they are fully recovered
• Don't try to bring them round

Call for an ambulance if whatsoever of these things utilise:

• Y'all know it is their first seizure
• The seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes
• They have one tonic-clonic seizure after some other without regaining consciousness between seizures
• They are seriously injured during the seizure
• They accept problem animate after the seizure has stopped

Focal seizures

Yous may also hear this type of seizure called a partial seizure. Someone having a focal seizure may not be aware of their environs or what they are doing. They may take unusual movements and behaviour such as plucking at their clothes, smacking their lips, swallowing repeatedly or wandering around.

Here'south how to help if you see someone having a focal seizure.

Do:

• Guide them abroad from danger (such equally roads or open up water)
• Stay with them until recovery is complete
• Be calmly reassuring
• Explicate anything that they may have missed

Don't:

• Don't restrain them
• Don't act in a fashion that could frighten them, such every bit making precipitous movements or shouting at them
• Don't assume they are aware of what is happening, or what has happened
• Don't give them annihilation to swallow or drinkable until they are fully recovered
• Don't attempt to bring them round

Call for an ambulance if any of these things apply:

• You lot know it is their offset seizure
• The seizure lasts for more than v minutes
• They have one seizure later another without regaining sensation between seizures
• They are seriously injured during the seizure

Seizures in a wheelchair

If a person with epilepsy uses a wheelchair or has mobility problems, their GP or epilepsy specialist should give them a care plan. This should include advice on how to help the person if they have a seizure.

Here is some general advice about how to help someone who is having a seizure in a wheelchair.

Practice:

• Put the brakes on, to stop the chair from moving
• Allow them remain seated in the chair during the seizure (unless they take a intendance plan which says to move them). Moving them could possibly pb to injuries for both you and them
• If they accept a seatbelt or harness on, go out information technology fastened
• If they don't take a seatbelt or harness, back up them gently, so they don't fall out of the chair
• Cushion their head and support it gently. A caput residue, absorber or rolled up coat tin can exist helpful
• Time how long the seizure lasts

The person's care plan should give advice on what to do after the seizure has finished. For example, it should say if it is safety to motility them from the wheelchair to put them in the recovery position.

Don't:

• Don't restrain their movements
• Don't put anything in their mouth
• Don't give them anything to swallow or drink until they are fully recovered
• Don't attempt to bring them round

Call for an ambulance if any of these things employ:

• You lot know it is their offset seizure
• The seizure lasts for more 5 minutes
• They take one seizure later on another without regaining consiousness betwixt seizures
• They are seriously injured during the seizure

Seizures in the water

Visit our sports and leisure page to find out what to do if someone has a seizure while swimming.

Notice out more nearly seizures

Take our brusk online learning module to learn more nigh different types of seizure and what to do when someone has one.

Order first assistance information from the Epilepsy Action shop.

Showtime aid information in other languages

Beth i'w wneud pan fydd rhywun yn profi trawiad (Welsh)

Środek pierwszej pomocy w przypadku napadów drgawkowych (Polish)

  مرض کے دورہ کے لیے ابتدائی طبی امداد (Urdu)

Premiers secours pour des crises d'épilepsie (French)

Erste Hilfe bei Krampfanfällen (German)

Primeros auxilios para convulsiones (Spanish)

Epilepsy Action would like to thank Dr Amanda Freeman, consultant paediatrician and Liz Nelson, Roald Dahl paediatric epilepsy specialist nurse, at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, for their contribution to this data.

Amanda Freeman and Liz Nelson have no disharmonize of interest to declare.

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Source: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/firstaid/what-to-do

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