Which action is most appropriate when assisting a victim who is experiencing a seizure?
If you see someone having a seizure or fit, there are some simple things you can do to help. It might be scary to witness, but do not panic. If you're with someone having a seizure: If the person is in a wheelchair, put the brakes on and leave any seatbelt or harness on. Support them gently and cushion their head, but do not try to move them. Do not put anything in their mouth, including your fingers. They should not have any food or drink until they have fully recovered. Call 999 and ask for an ambulance if: People with epilepsy do not always need an ambulance or to go to hospital every time they have a seizure. They usually have a care plan agreed with doctors and their family or carers that says what to do when they have a seizure, such as giving emergency medicine. If you know what to do and have been trained then you can follow their care plan. Some people with
epilepsy wear a special bracelet or carry a card to let medical professionals and anyone witnessing a seizure know they have epilepsy. Epilepsy Action has more information about seizures that last longer than 5 minutes. Make a note of any useful informationIf you see someone having a seizure, you may notice things that could be useful for the person or their doctor to know:
You can watch healthtalk.org videos of people talking about having epileptic seizures. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) also has useful leaflets you can download about a first seizure without a fever in children and young people. Keeping a seizure diaryIf you have epilepsy, it can be helpful to record the details of your seizures in a diary. Read more about seizure diaries and download one for free from:
Page last reviewed: 15 December 2020 The Seizure Recognition & First Aid Certification training is also available to those wanting to obtain continuing education units. Sponsored by the Epilepsy Foundation, a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) to receive up to 1.5 total Category I contact education contact hours. Maximum advanced-level continuing education contact hours available are 0. Provider ID#: 121739 For additional information please contact the Epilepsy Foundation Public Health and Education Team at . What would you like to find out today?Key points
Status epilepticusStatus epilepticus is when a seizure lasts a long time or when you have one seizure after another without recovering in between. If you think someone is in status epilepticus you must call an ambulance immediately. Find out more about status epilepticus What to do if someone has...a seizure in watera seizure in a wheelchairFurther readingSign up for the latest updates from Epilepsy Action"*" indicates required fields What should you do when assisting a person who is having a seizure?Here are things you can do to help someone who is having this type of seizure:. Ease the person to the floor.. Turn the person gently onto one side. ... . Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp. ... . Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under his or her head.. Remove eyeglasses.. What is the priority action for a client experiencing a seizure?The priorities when caring for a patient who is seizing are to maintain a patent airway, protect the patient from injury, provide care during and following the seizure and documenting the event in the health record.
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