When someone has a seizure
What you should do:
• Protect the person from injury and remove harmful objects
• Cushion the person’s head
• Gently place the person in the recovery position when the seizure has finished
• Stay with them until recovery is complete (5-20 minutes)
• Calmly reassure the person
What you should not do:
• Do not panic or walk away
• Do not hold down or restrain the person’s mouth — it is a myth that they can swallow their tongue
• Do not try to move the person unless they are in danger
• Do not give the person anything to eat or drink until fully recovered
Call for an ambulance if:
• You know it is the person’s first seizure
• The seizure continues for more than five minutes
• One seizure follows another without the person regaining consciousness between seizures
• The person is injured during the seizure
• You believe the person needs urgent medical attention
