Seizure Emergency FirstAid for Everyday People

Lycia L. Harris, RN, BSN, CPN

July 6, 2015
First Baptist Church Daycare Conference Room

Learner Centered Objectives

Summarize definition of seizure
Identify at least two risk factors for seizures in children
Describe generalized tonic/clonic (seizure emergency)
appearance
Demonstrate steps to protect child from injury during
seizure
Demonstrate ability to correctly time and describe
seizures
Demonstrate ability to reorient child after seizure and
offer help

What is a Seizure?
A Seizure is an abnormal firing of the brain
caused by some sort of disruption that may
cause an adult or child to jerk violently or
stare off .
Seizures are usually a symptom of a bigger
problem.
There are many different types of seizures,
but this lesson will focus on generalized/
tonic/clonic seizures, which are considered a
seizure emergency.

 A seizure is considered an emergency when

it last a long time or when multiple seizures
happen close together and the person
having the seizure does not come around
between seizures

Seizure emergencies can happen anywhere.

Who is at Risk for Seizures?

Who is at risk?
Prematurity
Brain injury
Adults or children with genetic syndromes or
disabilities
Infections which may cause febrile seizures
Dehydration
Sickle Cell Anemia
Trauma from falls, abuse or accidents

Protect From Injury

Time and Describe Seizure

Re-orient and Offer Help After

Seizure
After a seizure, re-orient adult or child to
their environment and offer help:
Speak softly
Re-orient to environment (you are at Walmart;
you are at Publix; you are at church)
Let the person know they just had a seizure
and you are there to help them
Ask if there is anyone you can call for them

Is that kid still seizingor not??

Can be hard to determine!
Post-ictal: some purposeful movement
will withdraw from pain, turn head away
squeeze eyes closed to bright light

Seizure may still be happening if:

usually unresponsive to pain
subtle, intermittent twitching in eyelids,
extremities
drooling is present

Seizure Emergency First Aid

Step-by-Step

Lets Review

Seizures are abnormal hiccups of the brain

Anyone can experience a seizure
There are many types of seizures
Tonic/clonic seizures are considered seizure
emergencies
Initiate seizure first-aid if a seizure
emergency occurs

Questions?

References
unknown. (2015, July 6). International League Against
Epilepsy. Retrieved from Epilepsy: http://www.ilae-epilepsy.org
unknown. (Retrieved 2015, July 6). Clip Art. Retrieved from
Google Images: http://www.google.com
unknown. (Retrieved 2015, July 6). Tonic/Clonic Seizures.
Retrieved from Epilepsyfoundation.org:
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org