Seizure Disorders: What to Do If You Witness a Seizure

Should someone near you have a grand mal seizure (the most severe type, involving loss of consciousness or generalized jerking movements), follow these steps:

• Protect the victims for nearby hazards by removing close objects or furniture that is easily moveable.
• Keep calm and reassure other people. This is an important step.
• Loosen any tie or shirt collar.
• Place a folded jacket or other form of padding under the victim’s head.
• Turn the victim on his or her side to assure an adequate airway.
• If there appears to be respiratory difficulty (i.e., irregular breathing, loss of color in the face/lips), call 911 at once.
• If a single seizure lasts more than five minutes, multiple seizures occur, or if the victim is pregnant or injured, call an ambulance.
• Do not put any implement in the victim’s mouth.
• Never attempt to hold the victim’s tongue (it cannot be swallowed).
• Do not give liquids during or just after a seizure.
• Attempt artificial respiration only if breathing ceases when the jerking movement stops.
• Do not restrain the victim.
• For known seizure victims, hospitalization usually is not necessary following a seizure. Most first-time seizures will require hospitalization and evaluation.
• Stay with the person until the seizure ends naturally or emergency responders arrive.
• When the seizure is over the student may be very tired and need to leave the class.

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