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What to Do for a Seizure

A seizure is an episode of involuntary contractions of muscle and an alteration of the state of consciousness that occurs suddenly and without control. While seizures are most commonly associated with epilepsy, they can occur in people without the disease. There are several different types of seizures, and the help provided can vary depending upon the type, duration, severity and state of consciousness during the seizure activity.

  1. Injury Prevention

    • During the seizure, the most important thing to do is take steps to protect the person from injuring themselves. This includes rolling the person on his side to prevent chocking on saliva or vomit, loosening restrictive clothing and placing a small pillow under the head. If the person is in grave danger from his position (such as sitting or standing), it may be necessary to move him to a position on the floor. However, this should only be done when absolutely necessary.

    Call for Help

    • Depending upon the length and severity of the seizure, it may be necessary to call an ambulance. In general, if an injury occurred or the seizure lasted longer than 5 minutes, then it is best to call for help. In addition, look to see if the person has a medical identification bracelet or tag indicating a history of seizures. If there is no known history of seizures, then it is a good idea to call an ambulance for assistance, as well to ensure the patient receives a full examination. An ambulance is not required for every seizure; only do so if the above criteria are met. Otherwise, a visit to the hospital is usually unnecessary.

    Tactics to Avoid

    • In spite of old-wives' tales about seizures, it is not possible to swallow or choke on your tongue. Therefore, it is not a good idea to put anything in the mouth of a person during a seizure, as doing so may lead to choking. Attempting to hold down a person having a seizure is also not a good idea due to the muscular strength of people during seizures. Attempting to hold a person down will ultimately only result in an injury.

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