Epilepsy and First Aid for Seizures

What is the best first aid for a seizure?

Here are some tips if you or someone you love has epilepsy.

·         Always carry medical identification. If an emergency happens, knowledge of your seizure disorder can help the people around you keep you safe and provide the appropriate treatment.

·         Make sure your family, friends, and co-workers know what to do if you have a seizure. (See below.)

·         Avoid potential dangers of high places or moving machinery at home, school, or work if you have active seizures. Though there is less risk if your seizures are under control, you should focus on the specific risks of certain activities (such as mowing, working around farm machinery, hot appliances, etc.).

·         It is important for you to stay active, but you should choose your sports and other activities wisely. You may want to avoid contact sports, but if your seizures are well controlled, you can lead a normal life. The buddy system works well, so have another person with you who knows you have seizures and what to do if you have one. Activities such as baseball, bike riding, canoeing, horseback riding, or hockey can be made safer by wearing helmets and life jackets and by having another person with you -- but this is true for all people.

·         If you take anticonvulsant medication, do not suddenly stop taking it or change the dosage without consulting your doctor. The type of anticonvulsant medication you are prescribed depends on the type of epilepsy you have, and the dose is determined by your weight, age, gender, and other factors.

·         Be alert to the risks of possible drug interactions between your anticonvulsant drugs and other medications you may take, including over-the-counter drugs. Always call your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure what interactions could occur before taking any medication. Most pharmacists will do this for you, and the Internet has many excellent drug interaction checkers.

·         Avoid alcohol, as it can interfere with the effectiveness of your medication and may lower the brain's seizure threshold.

What Should I Do for a Person Who Has a Seizure?

If someone is having a seizure:

·         Loosen clothing around the person's neck.

·         Do not try to hold the person down or restrain them. This can result in injury.

·         Do not insert any objects in the person's mouth. This can also cause injury.

·         Reassure concerned bystanders who may be upset and ask them to give the person room.

·         Remove sharp objects (glasses, furniture, and other objects) from around the person to prevent injury.

·         After the seizure, it is helpful to lay the person on their side to maintain an open airway and prevent the person from inhaling any secretions.

·         After a seizure, the person may be confused and should not be left alone.

·         In many cases, especially if the person is known to have epilepsy, it is not necessary to call 911. 

·         Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, or if another seizure begins soon after the first, or if the person cannot be awakened after the movements have stopped. If you are concerned that something else may be wrong, or the person has another medical condition such as heart disease or diabetes, you should contact a doctor immediately.

What Should I Do if a Child Has a Seizure?

Different types of seizures may require different responses. See below for a breakdown of the most common types of seizures and what to do for the child in each case.

Seizure Type	What to Do
Generalized Tonic-Clonic or Grand Mal (Loss of Awareness)	·         Move child away from hard, sharp, or hot objects. Put something soft under child's head. Turn child on one side to keep airway clear. ·         Do not put anything in child's mouth or give liquids or medicines during or immediately after the seizure. ·         Do not try to hold the child's tongue; it cannot be swallowed. ·         Do not restrain movement. ·         Reassure your child when consciousness returns. ·         Usually it isn't necessary to call 911 if the child has a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy, and the seizure ends after a minute or two. ·         Call for emergency aid if this is the child's first seizure, if multiple seizures occur, if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, or if the child is injured or unresponsive
Absence or Petit Mal (Loss of Awareness)	·         Observe the child carefully. Reassure the child if he or she is frightened or confused. ·         Try to count and record episodes.
Partial Seizure (No Loss of Awareness)	·         Observe the child carefully. Reassure the child if he or she is frightened or confused. ·         If the seizure becomes a convulsion or generalized seizure, follow the instruction indicated above.
Partial Seizures (Loss of Awareness)	·         Speak calmly to the child and other children around him or her. ·         If the child is walking, guide him or her gently to a safe place. ·         Stay close until the seizure has ended and the child is completely aware of where he or she is and can respond normally when spoken to.
Myoclonic Seizures (Loss of Awareness)	·         Speak calmly to the child and other children around him or her. ·         If the child is walking, guide him or her gently to a safe place. ·         Stay close until the seizure has ended and the child is completely aware of where he or she is and can respond normally when spoken to. ·         If the seizure is a first occurrence, a medical check-up is recommended.
Myoclonic Jerks (No Loss of Awareness)	·         Reassure the child and check to see if he or she got hurt from the fall. ·         If the seizure is a first occurrence, a medical check-up is recommended.
Atonic	·         Comfort the child and check to see if he or she is hurt. ·         A medical check-up is recommended.
Infantile Spasms	·         Look for clusters of attacks. ·         Comfort the child when the attacks occur. ·         Prompt medical attention is needed.

Source:WebMD

Caring for a Child with Epilepsy

The challenges of parenting are compounded if your child has epilepsy. Not only do you have the normal concerns about raising a child, but now you have to address emotional concerns both you and your child may have about living with epilepsy.

Emotional Toll of Epilepsy

It's natural for a child who has a chronic illness or who is different from other children to feel resentful. Children with an illness such as epilepsy may develop emotional problems, such as poor self-esteem or depression. These problems may come from within (anger, embarrassment, frustration), or from outside (children with epilepsy may be teased by other children).

As a parent, you can help your child deal with these feelings in the following ways:

·         Make sure your child understands as much about his or her disease as possible.

·         Try to get your child to be positive about his or her disease and focus on things he or she can do.

·         Help your child accept being a “different normal”  and accept that their will be some risk in activities

As for your other children and the rest of your family:

·         Be sure your other children understand about their sibling's illness. If they are feeling neglected, try to spend more time with them.

·         If you think it's necessary, seek family counseling to help everyone understand how to deal with the illness.

·         Let your extended family know about your child's illness and answer any questions they may have.

Children and Epilepsy Drugs

If your child is taking epilepsy drugs, you can work with your child's doctor to make sure that your child is taking them correctly. You will need to:

·         Learn the schedule for the medications (how many times a day to take them, whether they should be taken with food, etc.).

·         Find out what to do if your child forgets to take a dose of medication.

·         Know if any of the medications require blood tests.

·         Be aware of the potential side effects of the medications and what to do about them.

·         Ask the doctor what to do if your child is ill or has a fever. (Fever sometimes brings on seizures.)

·         Make sure your child's school knows that he or she takes epilepsy medication, and that arrangements are made for him or her to take it at school (if necessary).

·         Always carry a detailed list of your child's medications.

What Else Can I Do to Protect My Child?

If your child has epilepsy, monitor him or her near water, whether at home or outside.

Here are some tips for inside the home:

·         Keep an eye on your child while he or she is in the bathtub.

·         Make sure the bathroom door opens outward rather than inward, so that it can still be opened in case your child falls. Take the locks off the bathroom door.

·         Check the bathtub drain to make sure it's working properly.

·         Keep the water in the tub at low levels.

·         Keep the water temperature low to prevent scalding.

·         Install a shower or tub seat with a safety strap in the tub for older children.

·         Keep all electrical appliances away from the sink or bathtub.

Outside the home:

·         Don't let a child with epilepsy swim alone.

·         Make sure all adults, including the lifeguards and swimming instructors, know that your child has epilepsy.

If your child has a seizure while swimming, get him or her out of the water as soon as possible. If anything seems wrong, contact the doctor right away.