A seizure can look scary, but the most important job for a bystander is to keep the person safe until it passes. Most seizures stop on their own within a few minutes, and calm, simple actions can prevent injuries. Students can help by clearing hazards, protecting the head, timing the seizure, and staying with the person.
The goal is not to stop the seizure, but to protect the person while their brain and body recover.
Key Facts
- Time the seizure from the first clear sign of unusual movement, staring, collapse, or confusion.
- Call emergency services if a seizure lasts 5 minutes or longer, if another seizure starts soon after, or if the person is injured.
- Protect the head with something soft, such as a folded jacket, and move nearby objects away.
- Do not hold the person down and do not put anything in their mouth.
- When movements stop, place the person on their side if it is safe, and keep the airway clear.
- Stay with the person until they are awake, oriented, and safe, because confusion after a seizure is common.
Vocabulary
- Seizure
- A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that can affect movement, awareness, behavior, or senses.
- Convulsion
- A convulsion is shaking or jerking of the body that can happen during some seizures.
- Recovery position
- The recovery position is a side-lying position that helps keep the airway open and allows fluid to drain from the mouth.
- Airway
- The airway is the path air takes through the mouth, nose, throat, and windpipe into the lungs.
- Postictal state
- The postictal state is the period after a seizure when a person may be confused, tired, emotional, or slow to respond.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Putting something in the person's mouth is wrong because it can break teeth, block the airway, or injure both the person and the helper.
- Holding the person down is wrong because it can cause muscle, joint, or bone injuries and does not stop the seizure.
- Walking away once the shaking stops is wrong because the person may still be confused, unsteady, or unable to protect themselves.
- Giving food, water, or medicine right after the seizure is wrong because the person may not be fully alert and could choke.
Practice Questions
- 1 A seizure begins at 2:14:30 p.m. and is still happening at 2:19:30 p.m. How long has it lasted, and what should the helper do?
- 2 A helper starts timing a seizure at 10:07:15 a.m. It stops at 10:09:05 a.m. How many seconds did the seizure last?
- 3 A student sees a classmate fall and begin jerking near a desk, backpack, and chair. Explain the safest first actions the student should take and why those actions help.