17 Things People With Epilepsy Want You To Know
Don’t you dare put that spoon in my mouth.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes seizures, which are basically like electric storms in your brain.
Epilepsy, also known as a seizure disorder, is a disorder of the brain that causes recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Those seizures are caused by surges of electrical activity in the brain, often compared to an electric storm.
In most cases, the cause of epilepsy is unknown. “Our challenge now is to understand the genetic architecture underlying each individual epilepsy,” Dr. Ley Sander, medical director at the Epilepsy Society and professor of neurology at University College London, told BuzzFeed. “We are also trying to understand why some people will respond well to a certain drug while others won’t.”
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Not everyone with epilepsy has convulsive, jerking seizures.
In fact, most people with epilepsy experience "partial" (or focal) seizures. These affect one area of the brain and can result in an aura, physiological reactions, or motor and sensory changes. They can cause a person to stare blankly and/or smack their lips, pluck at their clothing, wander around, or perform other bizarre (but involuntary) actions.
The dramatic convulsions that most people associate with epilepsy are a result of a seizure affecting both sides of the brain at once. These "generalized" seizures can also cause "staring spells," brief body jerking, and "drop attacks" (suddenly falling to the ground).
Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania / Via efepa.org
When someone's having a convulsive seizure, keep them safe, supported, and on their side.
When a person is having a convulsive seizure (or you know/they have indicated they are about to), gently roll them on one side (to allow any fluids to drain out of their mouth and keep their airway open), support their head, remove any dangerous objects nearby (including their glasses), and time the seizure.
If a seizure lasts longer than five minutes, call 911.
"Seizures usually end within a few minutes and keeping a person safe from injury during a seizure and paying attention to the seizure duration are the best first aid," Dr. John Stern, director of the Epilepsy Clinical Program at UCLA, tells BuzzFeed. "If a seizure is longer than five minutes, then the risks may be greater and emergency care may become more important. If a person is not known to already have epilepsy or has a complicated medical condition, then emergency care may be needed sooner.”
For other types of seizures, it is important to remain with the person, gently guide them from danger (but avoid restraining them), and call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes.
For more on how to care for someone during a seizure, check out this video featuring Star Trek stars Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine for Talk About It.
Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania / Via efepa.org
NEVER force something into the mouth of someone having a seizure.
It’s physically impossible to swallow your tongue, and a “bite block” (wooden spoon, wallet, etc.) could cause serious injury.
A person having a convulsive seizure may briefly stop breathing and have a blue skin color, but Stern explains that "this is mostly due to the diaphragm becoming stiff along with the other muscles for breathing."
This is normal and brief, and the person will start breathing normally again as soon as their muscles relax. Do not attempt mouth-to-mouth or CPR during a convulsive seizure. Positioning the person on their side with their mouth pointed downward is the best way to keep their airway open.
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