International Epilepsy Day

-by Maria Kelly

Today is International Epilepsy Day. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder which affects the brain and causes recurring seizures. Epilepsy affects over 45,000 people across Ireland and over 50 million people live with epilepsy worldwide.

My first experience of seeing an epileptic seizure was when a school classmate had a seizure one lunch time, there were no staff or teachers in the immediate area and panic quickly ensued. This panic and helplessness of everybody close by is still etched in my mind. Thankfully, they were ok soon after but the experience highlighted to many of us the importance of becoming informed about epilepsy so we would know how to help if something similar happened again.

Today is a good opportunity to be reminded of what you can do if someone in your personal or working life experiences an epileptic seizure.

Epilepsy Ireland outline on their website three key measures that should be taken when responding to a seizure – TIME, SAFE, STAY.

TIME: The first thing you should do is TIME the seizure. This is because if a seizure goes over 5 minutes, an ambulance should be called.

SAFE: Keep the person SAFE during the seizure. If a person is having a convulsive seizure, cushion their head with something soft if possible and remove any harmful objects, e.g. furniture from their vicinity. NEVER put anything in a person’s mouth or restrain them during a seizure.

Be aware that there are also types of seizures where the person does not experience convulsions. Instead, they may “zone out” or stare blankly, become confused or agitated, display behaviours like chewing, smacking their lips, fiddling with their clothes, or wandering aimlessly. In this type of seizure, the person’s awareness of their surroundings is affected, and it is important to gently guide the person away from any danger. As with convulsive seizures, never restrict the person’s movements.

STAY: During the seizure and after it passes, STAY with the person. Often after a seizure, a person with epilepsy will be confused and, in many cases, exhausted. Make sure to stay with them until recovery is complete, explain what has happened and gently reassure them. The person may have experienced an injury if they have fallen, and if this is the case, ensure normal first aid steps are taken.

Epilepsy is Ireland’s most common neurological disorder. It’s important that we are aware of what to do and how to look out for each other, so we help create a supportive environment.  Further information and resources are available on Epilepsy Ireland’s website and social media platforms: https://www.epilepsy.ie/. 

Image by Epilepsy Ireland