The epilepsy is an important disease worldwide, affecting more than 50 million people. The Epilepsy is a chronic convulsive state, which is not curable, but controllable with treatment. This disease not only affects the patient who suffers from it, but also their entire family and social environment, which is why there is an increasing number of campaigns to inform patients, friends and family about how to act in case of being present before a Epileptic crisis.
It is important that the patient with epilepsy has good communication with the people around him, so that his relatives are prepared when witnessing an epileptic seizure .
Information on epilepsy
Epilepsy is a chronic disease, which generates seizures in the form of seizures or episodes, appearing unexpectedly without apparent triggers. It affects people of all age groups, especially children and the elderly
As it is a disease that occurs frequently, unexpectedly, the general population should receive training and information on how to act in the event of a seizure .
How to act in case of an epilepsy seizure
Here are some tips for what to do if someone has a seizure:
1. Keep calm
It is important that the person witnessing the seizure remains calm so that they can assertively think about how they can help the person who is having a seizure. To maintain peace of mind, the person should know in advance that most seizures in epileptic patients last one to two minutes and that if you act well, they will not generate complications that warrant transfer to the emergency room.
2. Remove possible obstacles that are around the person
When the patient is convulsing, it is likely that they will hit objects (furniture, etc.) that are around them, so it is important that the person witnessing the seizure moves them away. It is not advisable to hold or move the person while they have a seizure. It is recommended to place a pillow or soft object under your head to protect it from head trauma.
3. Secure the airway
One of the most feared complications during a seizure is aspiration (the contents of the mouth or stomach pass into the airway). This is why it is advisable to place the patient on one side when he is convulsing. It is not recommended to put objects in the mouth, nor to give the medication while it is in full seizure .
4. Loosen tight clothing
If the patient is wearing ties or scarves, it is advisable to remove them to protect the neck area.
5. Accompany the patient at all times
The patient should be monitored during the crisis and during the period of recovery from it, since during this period he is usually confused or momentarily lose vision or hearing.
6. Monitor all features of the seizure
The person who witnesses the epileptic seizure must be attentive to all the characteristics of the seizure, whether it affects one or both sides of the body, whether it is tonic or clonic, whether the patient loses sphincter control, and its duration.
7. Ask for help
If the person is not capable of acting at the time of an epileptic seizure, it is important that they seek help from a person who is calmer and who has more knowledge of how to act at that moment.
8. Ask for professional help
In case an epileptic seizure lasts more than 5 minutes or if it recurs recurrently within a few minutes, then the patient is in a seizure status and the emergency system should be called immediately or the patient transferred to an emergency area. medical. If the patient is not known with the diagnosis of epilepsy and it is the first time that a seizure has occurred, then he must be transferred in the same way to the emergency area to rule out any acute pathology such as infections of the central nervous system.
Who should be transferred to an emergency area?
A patient with epilepsy should be taken to the emergency area when:
- The seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes.
- If the seizure recurs in a short time.
- If the patient does not regain full consciousness after 20 minutes after the seizure.
- If the person has difficulty breathing or their lips and hands turn purplish (cyanosis).
- If it is the first time the person has a seizure.
- If the seizure is preceded by fever and behavioral disturbances.
- If the patient is pregnant.
A person with epilepsy will appreciate that their family and friends care about their health and seek information on how to act to care for them. Some people with epilepsy have even trained their pet dogs so that they can protect their head and body to avoid trauma with objects that are around them.