Seizures
A seizure is the disturbance of the electrical activity in the brain.
Seizures are usually not life threatening but can be scary for the person having the seizure and the person witnessing the seizure. They can be caused by a number of reasons such as a brain injury or fevers, but most of the time the cause is unknown. The student may jerk their whole body or parts of it, they may appear to have difficulty breathing, or they may lose consciousness. Seizures can vary in severity, frequency, duration, and how they look.
Signs and Symptoms of a Seizure
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Seizures can occur at any time and look very different, from a student just staring to the student having involuntary body movements. Some signs a student may be having a seizure are:
- Unusual sensation
- Uncontrolled muscle spasms
- Staring, not responding
- Body twitching, shaking or jerking
- Loss of consciousness
- Uncontrolled peeing or pooping
- Confusion
What to do if a student has a seizure emergency?
- Please remain calm
- For generalized seizures keep the person safe clear surrounding area of hard or sharp objects so they won’t hurt themselves protect their head
- Stay with the student until the seizure is over or they are fully awake
- Keep Airway clear and loosen any tight clothing around the neck keep track of how long the seizure last
- When does seizure has stopped, turn student on their side to prevent choking and place something small and soft under their head
- Monitor students as they may need to sleep a while or maybe confused
- When student is fully awake, explain to the student what has happened.
It is just as important to know what not to do when a seizure happens also:
- Do not hold the student down or try to stop their movement
- Do not put anything in the students mouth
- Do not try to give CPR (except if student is not breathing after the seizure stops)
- Do not offer the student any food or drink until they are fully awake
Only call 911 for the following:
- Student has never had a seizure before
- Student is having trouble breathing or waking up after the seizure
- The seizure is lasting longer than 5 minutes
- The student has another seizure soon after the first one
- The student is injured during a seizure
- The student has a health condition such as diabetes or pregnancy
- The seizure happens in water
Some students may have an emergency drug such as Diastat or Nasal Versed ordered to help stop their seizures. If these drugs are given 911 should be called.
What can I do to prepare for my student with seizures?
- Review your class roster to be aware of any students that may have seizures in your class
- Prepare a list for any substitutes so that they can also be aware of any seizures students.
- Know how to recognize signs and symptoms of when a person is having a seizure and how to respond quickly
- Encourage those students with a diagnosis of seizures to bring in a written seizure emergency action plan that explains exactly what needs to be done if they have a seizure. Review the plan and become familiar with it.
- Collaborate with your school nurse
Printable emergency sheet & Other Resources
References:
Epilepsy Foundation. (2020, February 27). About Epilepsy: The Basics. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, May 29). Epilepsy. CDC Healthy Schools. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/npao/epilepsy.htm