Understanding and reacting to a convulsive seizure: life-saving gestures

When faced with a seizure, every second counts. Whether you witness a seizure in an adult or a child, knowing how to intervene can make all the difference. This article guides you through the crucial steps you need to take to help effectively while ensuring your safety and that of the victim. Learn how to recognise a seizure, react appropriately and understand when it’s urgent to call for help.

First steps: identifying a convulsive seizure

Convulsive seizures are involuntary muscle contractions that can be either localised to one part of the body or generalised. Symptoms include shaking of the limbs, loss of consciousness, clenched jaws and sometimes irregular breathing. It is crucial to differentiate a convulsive seizure from other medical emergencies such as syncope, as the actions to be taken differ.

How to react effectively in a crisis

When you witness a seizure, the first action to take is to protect the person from injury. Move dangerous objects away from the area, place something soft under the head and position the person on their side to make breathing easier. Never try to open the person’s mouth or insert anything between their teeth. Time the seizure, as anything longer than 5 minutes requires urgent medical attention.

After the crisis: monitoring and precautions

Once the seizure is over, hold the person on their side in a secure position and check that they are breathing normally. It is common for the person to feel disorientated or tired after a seizure. Offer them your support and reassurance while they wait for help to arrive, if you have called for it. It is also important to consult a healthcare professional to assess the cause of the seizure and prevent recurrences.

Train to save: first aid training

This skill is an integral part of first aid training, specifically in the IAS 1 and IAS 2 courses, but is not covered in the BLS AED SRC training programme. Learning first aid can not only save lives during seizures but also in a variety of other emergency situations. The courses are open to everyone and are particularly recommended for carers of young children or people with pre-existing medical conditions.