“First Aid for Seizures: How to Help Someone During and After a Seizure"

https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/about/types-of-seizures.html 

https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/first-aid-for-seizures/index.html 

Two main types of seizures and how to identify them:

• Focal seizures: 

  • Cause changes in awareness, behavior, sensation, or abnormal movements usually on just one side of the body

  • Can spread to both sides of the brain and when it does, it can cause loss of consciousness and movements on both sides of the body

• Generalized seizures: 

  • Begin on both sides of the brain at the same time

  • Cause loss of consciousness or awareness and can also cause abnormal movements in the entire body.

• How to identify:

  • Someone acts confused or stare into space

  • Loss of awareness, fall down, and shake

  • Most last just a few minutes

How to keep someone safe during a seizure

1. Remove anything near the person that can cause an injury

2. Check if they are wearing a medical bracelet for medical information

3. If they are lying on the floor, turn them on their side with their mouth pointing to the ground to keep their airway clear

4. If the seizure lasts mroe than 5 minutes, call 911

   1. Other times to call 911:

      1. Another seizure soon after

      2. Trouble breathing or waking up after a seizure

      3. Injured during seizure

      4. Seizure happens in water

5. Once it’s over, help them recover by helping them to a safe spot to sit