Person who has a seizure

[HappyJaxRN]

I'm curious as to how you would answer this. I was in disagreement with The Red Cross when they taught this. I really had no business taking a CPR course from them since I was a nurse and my reactions would be different....but consider this scenerio and tell me what you would do....

You're walking through the mall. Everyone's rushing around you trying to get their Holiday shopping done and you hear someone calling for help. In the middle of the floor is a 54 year old man who is having what appears to be a grand mal seizure. What first aid would you render? After rendering this first aid, would you call 9-1-1? Why or why not?

[boulergirl, CNA]

Oh my god-- Do not ever stick anything in a seizing persons mouth. By sticking anything in a seizing person's mouth, you will cause an injury to them and yourself. They are more likely to break a tooth or possibly aspirate pieces of the object that you placed in their mouth. If they are drooling or any emesis, a cloth will likely get in the way of them being appropiately sunctioned. In 14 years, I have only seen one person actually bite their tongue during seizure, after placing a bite block in, that person broke their tooth. By the way, I work in an epilepsy monitoring unit and we are instructed to never put any object in a person's mouth during a seizure.

I had a debate with my coworkers about this. They firmly believe that you should put something in their mouth and their argument is that the tongue could fall to the back of the mouth, blocking the airway, and then they could die. I tried to explain to them why it's dangerous and counterproductive to try to put anything in the person (especially a spoon!). Of course I got nowhere with them, so I dropped it.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

Please remember though that anyone who ends up dying from a seizure dies a hypoxic death until proven otherwise. During true grand mal seizures the patient is not getting enough oxygen to perfuse the brain, much less the other vital organs. Many times if you watch seizure patients, you will see and hear them "gasping" for air on their own but their body has limited control over these necessary functions during the episode. It is for this reason in the clinical and field setting that we apply blow by oxygen as needed to EVERY seizure patient, with some needing respiratory assistance with a BVM and, occasionally, intubation.

Yes, turn them on their side - they occasionally vomit during or after the seizure. Also...find someone they know who can explain things to them. Coming out of a seizure in a mall or other public place is hella scary for anyone, as they are generally not oriented to person, place or time for a little while. The more familiar the faces they see, the faster their recovery time will usually be.

:)

vamedic4

AND NEVER NEVER NEVER STICK ANYTHING IN THEIR MOUTH!!!!

I agree with Steph. You have no idea if the person is apt to have seizures or not.

I learned something years ago from a neurologist and I have never met anyone that was familiar with this. I have had need to use it rarely, but it has worked for me the few times I have used it.

If the person is also not breathing and turning blue, pinch their nostrils together. It signals the brain to breathe and it works. They gasp for air about 10 seconds after you do it.

Besides, think about it. On the rare time that they do quit breathing, you aren't going to hurt them but pinching their nostrils together.

First time I ever used this was with a care home employee. I was called to the kitchen where he was in an active seizure. He was blue as blue could be. Someone else was calling 911 and I remembered what old Doc Heines told me and I did it. Worked like a charm. While he continued to seize, he was finally breathing.

[Norma56]

I cannot stress the not putting something in the mouth enough. A spoon???? Goodbye teeth. The tongue is attatched well, and I have yet to hear of someone "swallowing it" especially if they are on their sides and being cared for.