Epilepsy and general seizure first aid

 N.B. There is an easy read version at the bottom of the post which is a shorter version along with an infographic and translations.

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 zuo ji jiu

• BU YAO wang zhe ge ren de zui li fang ren he dong xi.
• BU YAO qiang xing an zhu huo zhi zhu zhe ge ren.
• YAO yi kai ta tou bu zhou wei ke neng rang ta shou shang de dong xi.
• YAO ji suan dianxian fa zuo de shi jian. Ruguo chao guo 5 fen zhong, YAO JIAO JI HUSHI CHE.
• YAO wen gen ta zai yi qi de ren ta shi fou ping shi hui dianxian fa zuo. Ruguo BU HUI, YAO JIAO JI HUSHI CHE.
• YAO zhao zhao shi fou dai zhe MEDIALERT ka, shou lian huo jiao lian.
• YAO rang ta zhou wei de ren san kai. Dianxian fa zuo ke neng rang ren gan dao hun luan, ta xu yao yi ge an jing, kuan chang de kong jian.
• Ruguo zhe ge ren zhan zhe fa zuo bing qie kan qi lai zhan bu wen, YAO bang zhu ta man man di dao zai di shang, huo rang ta zuo zai yi ba yi zi shang.
• YAO liu yi you xie ren gang gang jie shu dianxian fa zuo, sui hou ma shang you kai shi ling yi ci. BU YAO zai zhe li ting zhi 5 fen zhong ji shi. Ruguo zong shi jian chao guo 5 fen zhong, YAO JIAO JI HUSHI CHE.
• YAO zhi dao ren men fa zuo hou ke neng chu yu fa zuo hou zhuang tai (post-ictal). Ta men ke neng hui hun luan, pi lei, fa nu, ou er shen zhi hui biao xian chu bao li xing wei. Bao hu hao zi ji de an quan, gei ta men zu gou de kong jian he shi jian rang ta men xiuxi bing hui fu qing xing.

Hindi

Seizure First Aid

• Kisi bhi cheez ko vyakti ke muh mein NA daalein.
• Vyakti ko pakad kar rokne ki KOSHISH NA karein.
• Unke sir ke aas-paas ki un cheezon ko HATA DEIN jinse unhe chot lag sakti hai.
• Seizure ka samay ZAROOR note karein. Agar seizure 5 minute se zyada chale, to AMBULANCE BULAYEIN.
• Unke saath maujood logon se POOCHHEIN ki kya unhe seizures hote hain. Agar jawab NA ho, to AMBULANCE BULAYEIN.
• MEDIALERT cards, bracelets ya anklets ZAROOR dekhein.
• Unke aas-paas ke logon ko door kar dein. Seizures bahut confusing ho sakte hain aur vyakti ko jagah ki zarurat hoti hai.
• Agar vyakti seizure ke dauran khada hai aur asthir lag raha hai, to use dheere se zameen par lita dein ya kursi par bitha dein.
• Dhyan dein ki kahin vyakti ek seizure se bahar aakar turant doosre seizure mein to nahi ja raha. Yahan apna 5-minute timer NA ROKEIN. Agar kul samay 5 minute se zyada ho jaye, to AMBULANCE BULAYEIN.
• Yaad rakhein ki seizure ke baad vyakti post-ictal ho sakta hai. Woh confused, thaka hua, aggressive ya kabhi-kabhi violent bhi ho sakta hai. Apni safety ka dhyan rakhein aur use space aur aaram karne aur hosh mein aane ke liye samay dein.

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 suele tener crisis epilépticas. Si NO las tiene, LLAMA A UNA AMBULANCIA.
• SÍ busca tarjetas, pulseras o tobilleras de MEDIALERT.
• SÍ aparta a las personas que estén alrededor. Las crisis pueden resultar confusas y la persona necesitará espacio.
• Si la persona está de pie y parece inestable mientras tiene una crisis, SÍ bájala con cuidado al suelo o siéntala en una silla.
• SÍ observa si la persona sale de una crisis y entra inmediatamente en otra. NO detengas aquí el temporizador de 5 minutos; si el tiempo total supera los 5 minutos, LLAMA A UNA AMBULANCIA.
• SÍ ten en cuenta que una persona puede encontrarse en estado postictal después de una crisis. Puede estar confundida, cansada, agresiva o, ocasionalmente, violenta. Mantente a salvo y dale espacio y tiempo para descansar y recuperar la consciencia.