How to help someone who is having a tonic-clonic (convulsive) seizure
When someone has a tonic-clonic seizure, they go stiff, may lose consciousness, fall to the floor/ground and begin to jerk or convulse.
They may also go blue around the mouth because their breathing is irregular.
Sometimes, they can wet or poo themselves and bite their tongue or the inside of their mouth. So, be aware of their privacy and dignity and cover them with a blanket, if possible.
If you see someone having a tonic-clonic seizure, follow these steps:
1. Time how long the seizure lasts.
2. Keep calm. This isn’t always easy, but it’s very important, especially when the person is recovering from the seizure and looking to you for reassurance.
3. If the person has a warning (aura) that a seizure is coming, try to get them to sit or lie down to reduce the risk of injury.
4. Don’t move the person unless absolutely necessary, e.g. if they are close to a hazard that cannot be moved, such as an open fire, roads or open water.
5. Prevent physical injury by moving other hazards, such as furniture, out of the way.
6. If they are wearing glasses, remove them.
7. Put something soft under their head to protect it from banging on a hard surface. If there’s nothing to hand, cradle their head in your hands or on your lap.
8. Don’t restrain their movements.
9. Maintain their dignity and privacy as much as possible.
10. Loosen tight clothes around the neck.
11. Wipe away excess saliva.
12. Never put anything – especially not your fingers – in their mouth.
13. When the jerking has stopped, roll them onto their side
14. Let the seizure run its course.
15. Stay with them until the seizure stops.
16. Keep a record of the seizure, including how long it lasted, when it started and when it finished, and a brief description if the seizure was different from the type they normally have.