Seizure First Aid Guide

Seizure First Aid Guide

What is a Seizure?

• A Seizure is a miscommunication between the nerve cells and the brain.
• When a seizure occurs normal brain functions are impaired and sometimes brain damage can occur.

• There are two kinds of seizures,

1.General
(tonic-clonic or ‘grand-mal’)
and

2.Partial
(temporal lobe).

• General seizures affect small areas of the brain while Partial seizures affect the whole brain.
• Seizures usually last only a few minutes (in between 1 and 10) and must run their course before they end.

Causes of Seizures :

Seizures can be caused by:

• High fevers (especially in infants and young children) these are known as “fever fits”.
• Epilepsy.
• Brain injury, strokes.
• Infection.
• Poison.
• Snakebites (or bites from other venomous creatures).
• Shock.
• Heat stroke.
• Vaccinations.
• Reactions or overdoses to medication or drugs.
• Diabetes.
• Trauma.
• Reye’s syndrome.

Treatment of Seizures :

Symptoms and treatment are as follows:

A. General :

• The person may yell or cry out.
• Stiffen.
• Difficulty breathing (look for pale or bluish skin).
• Jerking motions.
• Falling.
• May last 1-4 minutes.

Treatment :

• Remain calm.
• Move all sharp edged objects out of the persons way to help keep them from injuring themselves.
• Monitor their breathing.
• Do NOT try to restrain the person, you cannot stop the seizure.
• Do not force anything into the persons mouth or give them anything to eat or drink.

Once the seizure has subsided :

• Help the person lay down and place something soft under their head.
• Turn them to one side so they don’t risk choking on their saliva.
• Remove tight or restricting clothing and jewelry.
• The person will probably feel confused and disoriented.
• They will also be very tired, let them sleep but stay with them until they have awoken and are fully awake and alert/aware.
• Do not give them anything to eat or drink until they have fully recovered

B. Partial :

• The person may experience convulsions (violent shaking and seizing, uncontrollable jerks and twitches).
• Glassy stare.
• May give no response, or an inappropriate response when questioned.
• May sit, stand or walk around aimlessly.
• Make lip smacking or chewing noises.
• Appear to be drunk, drugged, disorderly, or even psychotic.
• Fidgety.
• Crying out.
• Falling over.
• Losing consciousness.
• Body may stiffen.

Treatment :

• Remain calm, and call Emergency Number (this may not always be necessary in the case of epileptics, but is always necessary if the person is diabetic).
• Move all harmful objects out of the persons way, or try to direct them away from them vocally (if they are not convulsing).
• Do NOT try to restrain the person.
• Observe their behavior, in more severe cases this may become very important information.
• Be very gentle with the person, and do not be too physical with them.

Once the seizure has subsided :

• The person will be very sleepy, let them sleep.
• They may have a headache.
• Give them no food or drink until after they have rested and are fully alert and recovered.
• The person may be confused and disoriented.
• Turn them to one side so they don’t risk choking on their saliva.
• Remove tight or restricting clothing and jewelry.

Call Emergency Number If :

• If this is a first time.
• If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.
• If the person has one seizure after another.
• If the person is pregnant, injured, diabetic, or has requested an ambulance.
• If the person is not breathing correctly within one minute after the seizure.

       If needed begin CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation).