What should I do when my child is having a seizure?
- Administer rectal diazepam, buccal or intranasal midazolam to your child. It will take 15 to 20 minutes for the medication to take effect.
- Keep calm.
- Loosen his or her clothing.
- Turn your child to the side to drain anything in his/her mouth to prevent choking.
- Put something flat and soft under the head if possible.
- Move items like sharp objects or furniture away to prevent your child from injuring him/herself.
- Do not try to hold his/her tongue down with a spoon or any other objects.
- Do not try to bring your child around by slapping, shaking or splashing water on him/her.
- Do not give your child anything to drink.
- Do not hold down or restrain your child in any way.
- Stay with your child until his/her breathing is normal and he/she regain consciousness.
- Remember that your child may be irritable and tired following a seizure. Make a special effort to be calm and reassuring afterwards.
- If your child is having a "wandering around" seizure, keep calm and tell other people what is happening. Talk in a quiet, friendly voice and gently guide your child away from anything that could hurt him/her.
- It is important to take note of the type and duration of the seizures.
What precautions do I need to take?
Children or adolescents with epilepsy should avoid sports like rock climbing or gymnastics where falling from a height can occur.
When swimming, ensure one to one supervision for your child at all times.
It is safer for your child to take a shower instead of bathing in a bathtub to prevent possible drowning in the event a seizure occurs bath time.
It is advisable to wear a helmet for activities like cycling.
How is epilepsy treated?
Your child will need to start taking an antiepileptic drug for a period of time, usually for a minimum of two years if there are no breakthrough seizures. The antiepileptic drug controls your child's seizures and is not addictive.
For the antiepileptic drug to work properly, it has to be kept at a steady level in the blood. The level has to be high enough to prevent seizures. Your child may need blood tests from time to time to ensure the drug dosage is right.
Drugs do not remain in the body permanently. Like the food we consume, medicines are converted and eliminated by our bodily processes. To maintain the medicine level in the body, your child has to take the medication at the prescribed time each day and regularly.
Not having a seizure means the drug is working. It does not mean that your child should stop taking his/her prescribed medication.
Seizures do not occur in most children again if they take their medication regularly. If your child starts having seizures again despite a long period of control with medication, it does not mean that the epilepsy is getting worse. It happens because the physical makeup of your child changes as he/she grows. As a result, his/her medication may have to be adjusted.
The process of reducing your child's medication or even taking him/her off completely should only be undertaken with the doctor's close supervision. Do not try it on your own.
When should I bring my child to the Children's Emergency?
You should bring your child to the Children's Emergency if he/she experiences any of the following:
- When the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes (to administer rectal diazepam, buccal or intranasal midazolam if available)
- When your child has two or more seizures in a row without regaining consciousness
- When your child does not wake up from the seizure even after the seizure has stopped for more than 30 minutes
What is sudden unexpected death
in epilepsy?
Sudden unexpected death in
epilepsy (SUDEP) is the sudden, unexpected death of someone with epilepsy,
who was otherwise well. It affects one in 1,000
people per year and has a higher occurrence for those with uncontrolled
seizures1. The cause of SUDEP is unknown as it usually occurs in the night or
during sleep that leave little to no evidence of a seizure before death. Being
compliant with medication and avoiding triggers such as lack of sleep will
reduce the risk of SUDEP.