What to do if My Child is Having a Seizure
Seizures almost never life-threatening. Many last only a few minutes and stop on their own with no permanent ill effects.
Seizure-related risks are higher when people have poorly controlled seizures. Good seizure control is the first step in reducing seizure-related risks
Still, it can be alarming to see a child having a seizure, and it helps to know what to do.
Signs and Symptoms of Seizures:
Seizures can take many forms in Children and can vary from movements of whole body to just staring for few seconds. Some signs a child might be having a seizure are:
- unusual sensations or twitching before the seizure
- staring, not responding to anyone
- uncontrollable muscle twitching and/or frothing from mouth
- loss of consciousness (passes out)
- Sometimes they just stop doing whatever they were doing for 1-2 seconds (Absence seizures)
What to Do if a Child Has a Seizure:
There are simple steps you can take to protect someone from harm during a seizure.
- Gently place your child on the floor or ground, and remove any nearby objects which can hurt your child.
- Lay your child on his or her side to prevent choking on saliva (spit).
- If your child vomits, clear out the mouth gently with your finger.
- Loosen any clothing around the head or neck.
- Make sure your child is breathing OK.
- Don't try to prevent your child from shaking — this will not stop the seizure and may make your child more uncomfortable.
- Don't put anything in your child's mouth. Your child will not swallow his or her tongue, and forcing teeth apart could cause injuries or block the airway.
- Don't give your child anything to eat or drink, and don't give any medicine pills or liquid by mouth until your child is completely awake and alert.
- Try to keep track of how long the seizure lasts.
- Your child may be sleepy or may take a while to get back to normal after the seizure. Stay with your child until he or she is awake and aware, and let your child rest after the seizure.
Get Emergency Medical Help if Your Child:
- has a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes or is having repeated seizures
- has trouble breathing
- has a bluish color on the lips, tongue, or face
- remains unconscious for more than a few minutes after a seizure
- Falls or hits his or her head before or during a seizure
- has any symptom that concerns you