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First aid for epileptic seizures

Usually, it is not necessary to call in medical help for an epileptic seizure. It will end spontaneously within a few minutes. The general advice is:

• Wait calm until the seizure is over.
• Remove objects that may injure the patient during wild movements.
• Never put objects in the mouth of patients making violent movements. You cannot prevent a tongue bite.
• Do not try to 'control' any movements. You may injury yourself and the patient.
• Put a blanket or jack under the patient's head and loosen pinching clothes.
• Prevent saliva from entering the windpipe by placing the patient in recovery position, i.e. on his/her side with his/her head slightly tilted backward.

Take good notice of the duration of the seizure!

• Call in medical help if a seizure lasts longer than five minutes or blends over into another one (call 112).
• In this case it is necessary to give a medicine that stops the seizure: a rectiole, a small tube containing liquid medicine that can be administered through the anus (by non-medics as well).
• Look for a medical information card, a medical alert band or the medicine.

Breathing will restore spontaneously after a serious seizure. The patient may be confused after a serious seizure and usually needs to rest.

What is epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a disease with typical seizures and temporary loss of control over certain body functions. An epileptic seizure is the result of a kind of 'short circuit' in the brain. Billions of brain cells use electrical signals to send commands to our body and mind. In epileptics, brain cells suddenly become overactive.

Epilepsy may be congenital or acquired during life, and reveal itself at any age. It is estimated that over 100,000 people suffer from epilepsy in the Netherlands. Epilepsy occurs relatively more often in the mentally retarded.

Epileptic seizure

Causes of epilepsy