First Aid Guide for Seizures

What To Do:

• Turn individual on side to keep airway clear unless injury exists
• Protect head from injury
• Protect from nearby hazards
• Loosen ties or shirt collars
• Look for medical identification

What Not To Do:

• Don't put anything in the mouth
• Don't try to hold the tongue - it can't be swallowed
• Don't try to give liquids during or just after seizure
• Don't use artificial respiration unless breathing is absent after muscle jerks subside, or unless water has been inhaled
• Don't restrain
• Don't expect verbal instructions to be obeyed

When An Ambulance Should Be Called:

• If the seizure has happened in water
• If there's no medical I.D. and no way of knowing whether the seizure is caused by epilepsy
• If the person is pregnant, injured or diabetic
• If the seizure continues for more than five minutes
• If a second seizure starts shortly after the first has ended
• If consciousness does not start to return after the jerking stops