5 Mistakes that Could Make a Seizure Worse

According to CDC and MedlinePlus, it may be hard to tell if someone is having a seizure. Some seizures only cause a person to have staring spells. These may go unnoticed.

Specific symptoms depend on which part of the brain is involved. Symptoms occur suddenly and may include:

• Sudden falling
• Teeth clenching
• Eye movements
• Grunting and snorting
• Shaking of the entire body
• Temporary stop in breathing
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Tasting a bitter or metallic flavor
• Drooling or frothing at the mouth
• Changes in behavior, such as picking at one’s clothing
• Uncontrollable muscle spasms with twitching and jerking limbs
• Mood changes, such as sudden anger, unexplainable fear, panic, joy, or laughter
• Brief blackout followed by a period of confusion (the person cannot remember for a short time)

Symptoms may stop after a few seconds or minutes, or continue for up to 15 minutes. They rarely continue longer.

The person may have warning symptoms before the attack, such as:

• Nausea
• Fear or anxiety
• Vertigo (feeling as if you are spinning or moving)
• Visual symptoms (such as flashing bright lights, spots, or wavy lines before the eyes)

According to the CDC and Medlineplus, most seizures stop by themselves. But during a seizure, the person can be hurt or injured.

When a seizure occurs, the main goal is to protect the person from injury:

• Try to prevent a fall
• Ease the person to the floor if possible
• Once on the floor, turn the person gently onto one side. This will help the person breathe
• Clear the area of furniture or other sharp objects
• Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket or cushion under his or her head
• Remove eyeglasses
• Loosen tight clothing, especially around the neck
• If this was not done already, turn the person on their side. If vomiting occurs, this helps make sure that the vomit is not inhaled into the lungs
• Look for a medical ID bracelet with seizure instructions
• Stay with the person until he or she recovers, or until professional medical help arrives
• Once the seizure is over, comfort the person and speak calmly about what happened

Top 5 Things/Mistakes friends and family members should not do:

• Do not restrain (try to hold down) the person
• Do not place anything between the person’s teeth during a seizure (including your fingers)
• Do not move the person unless they are in danger or near something hazardous
• Do not try to make the person stop convulsing. They have no control over the seizure and are not aware of what is happening at the time
• Do not give the person anything by mouth until the convulsions have stopped and the person is fully awake and alert

According to the CDC and Medlineplus, call 911 or your local emergency number if:

• The person has never had a seizure before
• A seizure lasts more than 2 to 5 minutes
• The person does not awaken or have normal behavior after a seizure
• Another seizure starts soon after a seizure ends
• The person is hurt during the seizure
• The person had a seizure in water
• The person has a health condition like diabetes, heart disease, or is pregnant
• The person does not have a medical ID bracelet (instructions explaining what to do)
• There is anything different about this seizure compared to the person’s usual seizures

In closing, when someone is having a seizures, it can be very scary and uncomfortable, so you want to remain calm and attempt to follow the guidelines noted above. Read about first aid for different types seizures:  Epilepsy Foundation Seizure First Aid. Further, remember to share this post on social media and read more related articles.