How to Stop a Seizure

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posted on 7 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Seizures can be scary, particularly grand mal seizures that result in repeated head movements or flailing limbs. Typically, the very first thing you want to do is to make the person safe by lowering them to the ground and removing any potentially harmful objects from the area. Then, you should call emergency services, particularly if it's the first time the person has ever had a seizure.[1]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

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You can administer medications in the nose and through the mouth to help stop a seizure, but none of these medications are FDA approved for this use in the US outside of the hospital.[2]
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While it may be possible to stop a seizure, particularly if a person can feel one coming on, keeping the person safe and waiting out the seizure may be all you can do.

Steps

Protecting the Person from Harm

Lower them to the ground. If the person is sitting or standing, you need to get them to the ground so they don't fall and injure themselves. Lower them as well as you can to the ground, trying to stay out of the way of any flailing limbs. Place the person on their side. To help the person breathe, turn them so they are on their side. That will help keep their airway clear.

Reduce the risk of injury by checking the area. Move anything away from the person that could cause them harm if they come in contact with it. Look for anything that is hard or sharp, and make sure it's out of range.

Place something soft under the person's head. Often, seizures will result in repeated head movements. That could lead to the person injuring themselves if they bang their head against the floor. Place a pillow or a jacket underneath the person's head to reduce the chance of injury.

Stay clear of the person. Often, with a grand mal seizure, the person may flail their arms or legs. You shouldn't try to restrain the person. In fact, once you have them safe, it's a good idea to stay out of their way.

Calling Emergency Services

Call an ambulance if it's the first time the person has had a seizure. If you know the person well and they've never had a seizure before, you should call emergency services to get immediate medical care. They can assist in stopping the seizure once they arrive.

Call emergency services if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes. Even if the person has had a seizure before, you should call emergency services if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes. Begin the timer as soon as you can get the person safe. You should also call emergency services if the person injures themselves, has trouble breathing, has more than one seizure in a row, or has another health condition such as diabetes or heart disease. Also, call if the seizure happened in water or if the person is pregnant. If you are questioning whether or not you should call emergency services, give them a call. It is always better to call if you're unsure.

Stay with the person. If you're the only person there, it's important to stay with the person having the seizure so you can monitor them. Plus, they will be disoriented when they come out of the seizure, so they will need someone there. Try to stay calm and collected. Be sure to check the person for injuries as they come out of the seizure; look for blood or bruises. Keep in mind, they may not be able to answer questions due to disorientation.

Administering Rescue Medications

Help a person who feels a seizure onset by getting them water. In some cases, a person may be able to tell a seizure is coming on. In that case, they may take a pill in hopes of stopping the seizure before it starts. Help the person by finding them some water to take their medication. Typically, benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam, diazepam, and midazolam, are prescribed for this purpose. If the person is already seizing, you should not put a pill in their mouth, as they could choke on it or inhale it into their lungs.

Check for a medical alert bracelet or necklace. These pieces of jewelry can tell you whether the person is carrying medication that you can administer in case of a seizure. The jewelry can also tell you whether you should call emergency services or not, as well as who to call in an emergency.

Spray liquid medicine into the person's nose. In some cases, the person's doctor will have prescribed a liquid medication, benzodiazepine, to them. This medication is then sprayed into the person's nose. While this administration isn't FDA-approved yet, it is still common practice.

Use a syringe to administer liquid medication to the cheek as an alternative. Open the bottle of medication, typically midazolam, and push a clean syringe into the top, pushing the plunger down. Turn the bottle over and withdraw the prescribed amount of medication, which should be on the bottle. Hold the person's chin gently and place the end of the syringe between the teeth and cheek on the side that's nearest the ground. Push the plunger down to release the medication. Sometimes, this medication comes in a pre-dosed ampoule that you can squeeze the medication from. The use of this medication in this way hasn't been approved by the FDA outside of hospitals, though it has been approved in the UK. However, it is still sometimes prescribed for this purpose. Generally, this medication is prescribed for children.

Expect lorazepam or diazepam to be administered by IV. If the person is still seizing once emergency services arrive, they will likely administer one of these two drugs on the way to the hospital. They will likely use an IV to administer the drug, though diazepam may also be administered rectally.