If someone is having a seizure:
Stay calm
- Seizures usually end on their own and last from a few seconds to a few minutes
Create a safe space
- Move sharp objects out of the way
- If the person falls, place something soft under their head and roll them on their side as the seizure subsides
- If the person wanders, stay by their side and gently steer them away from danger
Time it
- Note the time the seizure begins and ends
Call 911 if:
- The seizure lasts more than 5 minutes
- It repeats without full recovery between seizures
- If consciousness or regular breathing does not return after the seizure ends
- The person is pregnant, has diabetes, appears injured or is in water
- You are not sure the person has epilepsy or a seizure disorder
Provide reassurance
- When the seizure ends, stay with them until complete awareness returns
Don’t …
- Restrain the person
- Put anything in their mouth