{"meta":{"status":200,"messages":[],"pagination":{"max":1,"offset":0,"count":1,"total":1,"pageNum":1,"totalPages":1,"sort":null,"currentUrl":"https://api.digitalmedia.hhs.gov/api/v2/resources/media.json?offset=0&max=1&ignoreHiddenMedia=1&format=json&id=996&newUrlBase=http://www.cdc.gov/features/","nextUrl":null,"previousUrl":null}},"results":[{"content":"\n
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About 1 out of 10 people may have a seizure in his or her lifetime.1,2 That means seizures are common, and one day you might need to help someone during or after a seizure. Would you know what to do?

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First Aid for any Type of Seizure

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There are many types of seizures. Most seizures last for a few minutes. Here are general steps to help someone who is having any type seizure:

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  • Stay with the person until the seizure ends and the person is fully awake. After it ends, help the person sit in a safe place. Once they are alert and able to communicate, tell them what happened in very plain terms.
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  • Comfort the person and speak calmly.
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  • Keep yourself and other people calm.
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  • Check to see if the person is wearing a medical bracelet or other emergency information.
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  • Offer to call a taxi, friend, or relative to make sure the person gets home safely.
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\n Do I Call 911? \n
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Seizures don\u2019t usually require emergency medical attention. Only call 911 if one or more of these things happen:

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  • The person has never had a seizure before.
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  • The person has difficulty breathing or waking after the seizure.
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  • The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
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  • The person has another seizure soon after the first one.
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  • The person is hurt during the seizure.
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  • The seizure happens in water.
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  • The person has a health condition like diabetes, heart disease, or is pregnant.
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First Aid for Generalized Tonic-Clonic (Grand Mal) Seizures

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When most people think of a seizure, they think of a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, also called a grand mal seizure. In this type of seizure, the person may cry out, fall, shake or jerk, and become unaware of what\u2019s going on around them.

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Here are things you can do to help someone who is having that type of seizure:

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  1. Ease the person to the floor.
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  2. Turn the person gently onto one side. This will help the person breathe.
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  3. Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp to prevent injury.
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  4. Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under his or her head.
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  5. Take off eyeglasses.
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  6. Loosen ties or anything around the neck that may make it hard to breathe.
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  7. Time the seizure. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
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\n Stop! Do NOT \n
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  • Do not hold the person down or try to stop his or her movements.
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  • Do not put anything in the person\u2019s mouth. This can injure the teeth or jaw. A person having a seizure cannot swallow his or her tongue.
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  • Do not try to give mouth-to-mouth breaths (like CPR). People usually breathe on their own after a seizure.
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  • Do not offer the person water or food until he or she is fully alert.
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\n More Information \n
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\n References \n
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  1. Hauser WA, Beghi E. First seizure definitions and worldwide incidence and mortality. Epilepsia. 2008;49(Suppl.1):8-12.
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  2. Hesdorffer DC, Logroscino G, Benn EKT, Katri N, Cascino G. Hauser WA. Estimating risk for developing epilepsy. Neurology 2011;76:23-27.
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Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: http://www.cdc.gov/features/getseizuresmart
Source Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Captured Date: 2014-03-25 00:00:13.0
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