Seizures First Aid Treatment

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-clonicor ‘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 :

• 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 :

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.
• Dot 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).

Note: Above details are only for information only. First Aider shall be trained well from Authorized body and shall be qualified to attempt any first aid. Take help of medical expert for the same.