Q: Recently I was in a
shopping mall and saw a young man having a seizure. He regained
consciousness after a minute or two, and seemed to be fine. I was
wondering if there is any type of first aid that I should have done?
Did I need to put something in his mouth to stop him choking?
A: You did the right thing, that is, nothing. Many people make the
mistake of trying to revive the person, or even worse, try to perform
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cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. This can break ribs, so the man would
not be too impressed when he recovered
consciousness.
I have saved several people having seizures from well-meaning
bystanders who thought they were having a heart attack. Always check
for a pulse or heartbeat and absence of breathing before starting CPR.
Grand mal epileptic seizures begin with the tonic phase, when the
person goes rigid and falls to the ground. His teeth are clenched and
all the muscles tighten up. This can cause a grimacing expression. This
is followed in a minute or two by the clonic phase, which consists of a
rhythmic twitching of the limbs. The person usually loses consciousness
temporarily and may salivate or urinate.
There are simple things you could do. Loosen tight clothing and if the
person has not already fallen, help them to the floor as gently as
possible.
If available, put a cushion or sweater under the head because repeated
banging of the head on a hard surface could be damaging.
Do not put anything in the person’s mouth. Putting a spoon between the
teeth can result in broken teeth or choking. Even though the person
with epilepsy may turn blue from a temporary lack of oxygen, this is
generally short-lived, and no damage is done.
Do not try to restrain the person, because that could lead to broken
bones.
Most people with epilepsy
recover from their seizures
quickly. Calling for medical help is not necessary.
If the seizure lasts longer than 10 minutes, or turns into a series of
fits without the person regaining consciousness, it could be a more
serious situation known as status epilepticus. It could be fatal if
appropriate medications are not given. In these circumstances you
should call an ambulance.
Epilepsy Canada is a nationwide organization that has a website at
www.epilepsy.ca.
Clare Rowson is a medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont.
Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are
encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding
medical questions and treatments.
