Three simple words on how to respond to a seizure
Today is International Epilepsy Day (#EpilepsyDay) and Epilepsy Ireland are appealing to the public to learn more about seizure first aid through the key words of TIME – SAFE – STAY.
The national patient organisation for people with epilepsy and their families have today launched an eye-catching campaign, showing exaggerated and misconceived approaches to seizure first aid – featuring people with epilepsy being “protected” by being encased in a Zorb ball; in a full suit of armour; and wrapped head to toe in bubble wrap.
Epilepsy Ireland CEO, Peter Murphy, explained the theme behind the new campaign commenting, “We know from our research that the Irish public do want to help people with epilepsy if they have a seizure and there is a real appetite to know what to do if or when this situation occurs.
“However, seizures often happen suddenly and unexpectedly and even with the best placed intentions, sometimes people can respond inappropriately, or worse, do something that endangers the person with epilepsy or themselves.
“Another issue often faced by people with epilepsy is that they are over-protected by society to minimise the risks if a seizure was to occur, often out of not knowing what to actually do if that were to happen.
“The scenarios in our new awareness campaign are certainly exaggerated takes on these concepts, but the aim is to draw attention to the fact that there is an easy way to respond to a seizure in most cases.
“We’re asking people to remember our three key words: TIME – SAFE – STAY. By using these simple words, you can ensure that you do the right thing if you are called upon to respond to a seizure. There are over 40,000 people living with epilepsy in Ireland today and it is likely that someone close to all of us is one of those people. In short, you never know when you might need to respond to a seizure, so it is crucially important to remember TIME – SAFE – STAY.
“We hope that the campaign will also emphasize that a person with epilepsy does not need to be treated differently because of their condition.”
So, what is meant by TIME – SAFE – STAY?
TIME – If you are responding to a seizure, the first thing you should do is TIME the seizure. This is because if a seizure goes over 5 minutes, an ambulance should be called.
SAFE – Keep the person SAFE during the seizure. If a person is having a convulsive seizure, cushion their head with something soft if possible and remove any harmful objects, for example furniture from their vicinity. NEVER put anything in a person's mouth or restrain them during a seizure. These are myths when it comes to seizure first aid! Be aware that there are also types of seizures where the person does not experience convulsions. Instead, they may “zone out” or stare blankly, become confused or agitated, display behaviours like chewing, smacking their lips, fiddling with their clothes, or wandering aimlessly. In this type of seizure, the person’s awareness of their surroundings is affected, and it is important to gently guide the person away from any danger. As with convulsive seizures, never restrict the person’s movements.
STAY – During the seizure and after it passes, STAY with the person. Typically, when a seizure ends, a person with epilepsy will be confused, often exhausted and may have experienced an injury if they have fallen. Stay with them until recovery is complete, calmly reassure the person, explain what has happened and ensure normal first aid steps are taken if there has been an injury.
To find out more about epilepsy and seizure first aid, visit www.epilepsy.ie or search for Epilepsy Ireland on social channels.
ENDS
You can see our campaign videos for #EpilepsyDay below!