Seizure First Aid to Children

One in every ten people will have a seizure at some point in their lives. In this article, we will discuss how to give seizure first aid to children.

Would you know what to do if you spotted your child, or any youngster, suffering a seizure?

Seizures can be frightening. They are triggered by surges in the brain’s electrical activity and can cause a youngster to tumble, shake, or twitch severely. A toddler may also become unresponsive suddenly during a trance-like staring spell.

While this may sound frightening, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to remember that seizures in children are usually not medical emergencies; most seizures in children will resolve themselves within five minutes.

Here are some first-aid tips in case your child or a child in your care has a seizure:

1. Maintain your cool and administer first aid to keep the child safe during the seizure.

2. Know when to call an emergency for a child’s seizure.

3. Following the seizure, consult with your child’s doctor.

If a youngster is having a seizure, follow these steps:

1. If you are unsure whether a youngster is having a seizure, give him a light touch and shout his name loudly to catch his attention.

2. Stay with the child; do not abandon her!

3. Turn the child on his side and lower him to the ground. If he vomits, this will keep him from choking.

4. Check for any sharp or hard things around. Do not restrain or hold a child still during a seizure.

5. Do not put anything in a child’s mouth, such as a cloth or a sock. During a seizure, many youngsters clench their teeth; you could be biting or damaging the child.

6. Take a look at the time. Attempt to time the duration of the seizure.

Seizure first aid

When should I make an emergency call if my child is having a seizure?

1. If this is your child’s first seizure,

2. If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes,

3. If your child has back-to-back seizures and does not return to normal between them,

4. If your child does not wake up following the seizure,

5. If your child was hurt during the seizure, get medical attention immediately.

6. If your youngster has difficulty breathing,

7. If your child has a seizure while in the water,

8. If your child has diabetes or other potentially fatal medical issues,

Following any form of seizure, consult with your child’s doctor.

Children should always be evaluated by a doctor to identify what triggered the seizure—high fever, for example, or other medical or neurological disorders such as epilepsy. Your doctor can assist you in treating any underlying reasons that have been found, as well as in developing a “seizure action plan” in case your kid has any further seizures.

Read more on epilepsy in children here

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