What to do if someone’s having a seizure?
Are you experiencing confusion, jerking/uncontrollable movements, and loss of consciousness? If yes, this might be an episode of seizure. It is a condition in which you experience a sudden uncontrolled burst of electrical activity in your brain which causes changes in behavior, movements, feelings, and levels of consciousness. If you experience two or more seizures in less than 48 hours (about 2 days) without any known cause, chances are high that you might have epilepsy. It is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.
Seizures can be mild or life-threatening. So, you should know its symptoms and basic first aid for seizures to help the person who’s having a seizure. Its symptoms include:
- Temporary confusion
- Uncontrolled jerking movements of arms or legs.
- Loss of consciousness or awareness.
- Staring spell or a ‘zoned out’ look on the face.
- Cognitive or emotional changes such as fear, and anxiety of a Deja vu situation.
- Drooling
- Sweating
Learn the basics of what to do or what not to do to help the person who is having a seizure in this article.
What to do?
These are the basic steps you should do if someone has a seizure:
- Clear the crowd around them and lay them on the floor.
- Take away all hard or sharp objects around them.
- Put something soft or flat, like a jacket or coat under their head.
- Turn them onto one side to clear the airway for them to breathe easily.
- Look at the time when the seizure starts, and its length, if a person has a tough time breathing or a seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes then, call the emergency medical number because it may be a generalized seizure.
What not to do?
While most people know what to do when someone has a seizure, however, you should be aware of certain things that you should not be doing, which include:
- Do not try to hold the person down or try to stop their movements.
- Avoid putting anything in the person’s mouth. Because many people believe in a popular myth that you can swallow your tongue and choke yourself during a seizure. But if you put any object in their mouth, they could damage their teeth or try to bite you.
- Do not give them mouth-to-mouth breaths like CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) because they eventually start breathing again on their own after a seizure.
- Do not offer them water or food until they become fully alert about their surroundings.
Seizure is a manageable disease with treatment. But if someone experiences a seizure, it is important to know the basics of first aid for seizures to help them and prevent any injuries or life-threatening situations.
Doral Health and Wellness has several urgent care clinics around New York that can cater to your family’s medical needs. We also have the best medical providers, physicians and staff that are highly trained in their respective specialties. To know more about the locations of our urgent care clinics, you can visit us at Doral Health and Wellness. If you are looking for urgent care near you, you can visit Doral Health and Wellness Urgent Care. We provide urgent care for common illnesses and injuries. Additionally, we also provide comprehensive care for any related injuries and health problems. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. For more info, visit us or call 1-347-384-5690.