How to Monitor Nocturnal Seizures

Many people with disorders that cause seizures, such as epilepsy, experience nocturnal seizures while they sleep. Nocturnal seizures can be frightening, especially for parents with epileptic children who worry that their children may have a seizure during the night. Epileptic patients who worry that they may have a seizure during the night may find it difficult to sleep. Insufficient sleep can lead to increased seizure activity, making the problem worse. Finding an effective way to monitor nocturnal seizures so that patients can receive the prompt care they need can help ease the minds of parents and patients.

Things You'll Need

• Baby monitor
• Seizure monitor

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Instructions

• 1

  Keep a seizure journal detailing when seizures occur, how long they last and what after effects the patient experiences. Keeping a seizure journal can help you recognize common triggers, and nocturnal seizures may decrease in frequency if you avoid these triggers.

• 2

  Use a baby monitor to help monitor seizures. While some seizures come on suddenly, many people know when they are about to have a seizure and can call out for help. The baby monitor can also help alert parents and caregivers if the seizing person falls out of bed.

• 3

  Purchase a seizure monitor to help alert you of nocturnal seizures as soon as they occur. Seizure monitors include a small sensor that goes between the mattress and box spring to detect movement and sounds, and the caregiver has an alarm in her room. Most seizure monitors also include control boxes so that users can adjust the sensitivity.