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Seizure First Aid

Around 30% of patients with epilepsy may NOT have good control despite having medication and are at risk of getting seizure attacks.  It is important for caregivers or spouses of patients with epilepsy to learn how to react when faced with someone having a seizure attack;

Image Malaysian Society of Epilepsy (Persatuan Epilepsi Malaysia)

Call an Ambulance or Emergency Services if

  • The seizures last more than 5 MINUTES (known as Status Epilepticus)
  • The frequency of seizures are more than usual or having repeated seizures
  • The person is injured or having breathing difficulty
  • The person is still unconscious when the seizure stops
  • The person is pregnant
  • You have no experience in dealing with the seizure
Click to view St John’s Ambulance video on What to Do during Epilepsy

Summary of the DO’s and DON’Ts

  • DO stay with the person until the seizure ends and he/she recovers consciousness
  • DO clear the area around the person from anything sharp or dangerous to prevent injury
  • DO remove the spectacles if the person is wearing one
  • DO protect their head and place a soft pillow under their head
  • Do NOT hold the person down or try to stop the movements
  • Do NOT put anything in the person’s mouth
  • Do NOT try to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation because they usually start breathing again on their own after a seizure
  • Do NOT offer the person water or food until he/she is fully conscious and talking (which may take up to 30-60 minutes)
Click to view BritishRedCross video on Seizure

See your doctor asap if you suspect your epilepsy control is not optimum


Disclaimer. TELEME blog posts contains general information about health conditions and treatments. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information is not advice and should not be treated as such. 

If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.

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