Seizure first aid

N.B. an easy read, an infographic and translations into different languages (currently Mandarin Chinese, Hindi and Spanish) are at the bottom.

So I thought I'd run through a bit of seizure first aid (I am actually also a first responder).

Okay, so there are many things that cause seizures, not just epilepsy (I may cover some of these at a future point).  But the general first aid principles still apply.  You'll have seen from the previous post on epilepsy types if you read it that there are MANY types of seizures, not just ones where people collapse on the floor.

However, the main things you need to know are 

1) DO NOT put anything in their mouth. 

2) DO NOT restrain them.

3) DO move anything from around their head that they could bang their head on (e.g. plant pot, table leg)

4) DO time the seizure.  If a seizure goes over 5 minutes you must CALL AN AMBULANCE 

5) DO ask if anyone has knowledge of the person and if they have a medical condition that causes seizures.  If they don't and this is a FIRST seizure, you need to CALL AN AMBULANCE. 

6) DO look for MEDIALERT cards/bracelets/anklets, particularly if no-one is with them.  Remember that they are likely to still be able to hear you, so tell them what you are doing (beforeyou touch them).  Also tell people around you (so them don't think you're stealing from their wallet!).  If you don't find one, still wait out the 5 minutes before phoning the ambulance, as this may be totally normal for them.

6) DO clear people from around them.  Seizures can be confusing and having people crowding round you when you come to can be overwhelming. 

7) DO lower the person to the ground or sit them on a chair if the person is stood and seems unsteady whilst having a seizure.

8) DO watch for 'repeat' seizures, where people come out of one seizure but go almost straight back into another one.  DON'T restart the 5 minute timer in this instance.  After 5 minutes, PHONE AN AMBULANCE. 

9) DO be aware that people can be 'post ictal' after a seizure.  This can come in many forms, often tiredness or confusion, but can include violence and aggression.  Don't take this personally, it's not deliberate.  But do be sure to keep yourself safe.  Give the person time and space to come round.  They may need to sleep.

Easy read

Seizure first aid 

- DON'T put anything in the person's mouth

- DON'T restrain the person

- DO remove things from around their head that they could injure themselves on

- DO time the seizure. If longer than 5 minutes CALL AN AMBULANCE.

- DO ask people with them if they have seizures.  If they DO NOT - PHONE AN AMBULANCE. 

- DO look for MEDIALERT cards/bracelets/anklets.

- DO clear people from around them.  Seizures are confusing and they'll need space

- DO lower the person to the ground or sit them on a chair if the person is stood and seems unsteady whilst having a seizure.

- DO watch for people coming out of a seizure then straight back into another one.  DON'T stop your 5 minute timer here, and if over 5 minutes, PHONE AN AMBULANCE.

- DO be aware that people can be 'post ictal'.  They can be confused, tired, aggressive or occasionally violent.  Keep yourself safe and give them space and time to rest and come to.

Mandarin Chinese

Dianxian fa zu jiuhu (Seizure first aid)

• BU YAO wang zhengzai fa zu de ren de zui li fang renhe dongxi.

• BU YAO qiangxing an zhu huo xianzhi zhengzai fa zu de ren.

• YAO yi kai ta tou bu zhouwei ke neng rang ta shou shang de dongxi.

• YAO jizhu fa zu chixu le duo chang shijian. Ruguo chao guo 5 fenzhong, LIJI JIAO JIUZHU CHE.

• YAO wen gen ta zai yiqi de ren ta pingshi shi fou hui fa zu. Ruguo BU HUI, LIJI JIAO JIUZHU CHE.

• YAO xunzhao MEDICALERT (yiliao jingbao) ka, shouhuan huo jiaohu.

• YAO rang zhouwei de ren li kai. Dianxian fa zu hui rang ren kunhuo, ta xuyao kongjian.

• Ruguo zhengzai zhanli de ren fa zu shi kan qilai zhan bu wen, YAO bang ta manman dao zai di shang, huo rang ta zuo dao yizi shang.

• YAO guancha ren shi fou ganggang jie shu yi ci fa zu jiu ma shang jinru ling yi ci. BU YAO zai zheli tingzhi 5 fenzhong jishi. Ruguo zong gong chao guo 5 fenzhong, LIJI JIAO JIUZHU CHE.

• YAO zhuyi dao ren zai fa zu hou ke neng chu yu “fa zu hou zhuangtai” (post-ictal state). Ta men ke neng kunhuo, pilao, fen nu, ou'er shenzhi hui you gongji xing huo baoli xing wei. Baozhang ziji de anquan, gei ta men chongzu de kongjian he shijian rang ta men xiuxi bing manman huifu yishi.

Hindi

Daure ke dauran prathamik sahayata (Seizure first aid)

• MUNH MEIN KUCHH BHI MAT DAALIYE.

• VYAKTI KO PAKAD KAR ROKNE KI KOSHISH MAT KARIYE.

• VYAKTI KE SIR KE AAS-PAAS KI UN CHEEZON KO HATA DIJIYE jinse unhe chot lag sakti hai.

• DAURE KA SAMAY NOTE KARIYE. Agar daura 5 minute se zyada chale, AMBULANCE BULAIYE.

• SAATH MEIN MAUJOOD LOGON SE PUCHHIYE ki kya is vyakti ko pehle bhi daure padte hain. Agar NAHIN, to AMBULANCE BULAIYE.

• MEDICALERT CARDS / BRACELETS / ANKLETS zaroor dekhiye.

• VYAKTI KE AAS-PAAS SE LOGON KO HATA DIJIYE. Daura bahut uljhan paida kar sakta hai aur vyakti ko jagah ki zaroorat hoti hai.

• Agar vyakti khada hai aur daure ke dauran asthir lag raha hai, to USE ZAMEEN PAR AARAM SE LITAA DIJIYE ya kursi par bitha dijiye.

• DHYAN DIJIYE ki kahin vyakti ek daure se bahar aate hi turant doosre daure mein to nahi ja raha. YAHAN 5 MINUTE KA TIMER BAND MAT KARIYE. Agar kul samay 5 minute se zyada ho jaye, AMBULANCE BULAIYE.

• DHYAN RAKHIYE ki daure ke baad vyakti “post-ictal” avastha mein ho sakta hai. Woh uljhan mein, thaka hua, gusse mein ya kabhi-kabhi hinsak bhi ho sakta hai. APNI SURAKSHA KA DHYAN RAKHIYE aur vyakti ko aaram karne aur hosh mein aane ke liye jagah aur samay dijiye.

Spanish

Primeros auxilios durante una crisis epiléptica

• NO pongas nada en la boca de la persona.

• NO sujetes ni inmovilices a la persona.

• SÍ retira de alrededor de su cabeza cualquier objeto con el que pueda hacerse daño.

• SÍ cronometra la crisis. Si dura más de 5 minutos, LLAMA A UNA AMBULANCIA.

• SÍ pregunta a las personas que están con ella si tiene crisis epilépticas. Si NO LAS TIENE, LLAMA A UNA AMBULANCIA.

• SÍ busca tarjetas, pulseras o tobilleras de MEDICALERT.

• SÍ aparta a las personas que estén alrededor. Las crisis pueden ser confusas y la persona necesitará espacio.

• SÍ baja a la persona al suelo o siéntala en una silla si está de pie y parece inestable mientras está teniendo una crisis.

• SÍ observa si la persona sale de una crisis y entra directamente en otra. NO DETENGAS EL CRONÓMETRO DE LOS 5 MINUTOS en este caso. Si el tiempo total supera los 5 minutos, LLAMA A UNA AMBULANCIA.

• SÍ ten en cuenta que la persona puede estar en un estado postictal después de la crisis. Puede estar confundida, cansada, agresiva o, ocasionalmente, violenta. MANTÉN TU PROPIA SEGURIDAD y dale espacio y tiempo para descansar y recuperar la consciencia.