What to do when a seizure happens
The type of epilepsy and seizures that a young person has should be recorded in their Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP). Alongside their ongoing support arrangements, there should be clear instructions of what to do should they have a seizure, as well as an emergency protocol.
All staff should be epilepsy aware and, where appropriate, trained to know exactly what to do if a young person has a seizure. Seizures can be difficult to spot, with absence seizures often being mistaken for daydreaming and focal seizures taken for difficult or unusual behaviour. Even some generalised seizures may be put down to clumsiness or falls.
A good seizure description can help everyone to recognise what happens to that young person and is more useful than just the name of the seizure type(s). Once a good seizure description has been established and recorded in the IHP, school staff will be more aware of what to look out for. If the young person has more than one type of seizure, different medical management may be needed, so they should all be recorded in the IHP.
