There is honestly nothing much you can do when a person with epilepsy gets a seizure. But you can certainly prevent the person from further harm when it happens.

Before we even begin with the first aid, it is important to understand what a seizure looks like.

Grand mal seizure
Also commonly referred to as the tonic-clonic seizure, it is quite frightful to watch and the person who has the seizure rarely remembers what’s happening. They usually follow a certain pattern.

• The person may not even respond when you talk to them. Even if you wave a hand in their face or shake them, they will not respond. There is a possibility that they will collapse when you shake them.
• Their muscles clench and become very rigid. This is referred to as the tonic phase and lasts a good few seconds
• Right after the tonic stage comes the clonic stage, where there is a series of jerking movements that could last anywhere between a few seconds to several minutes.
• When it all stops, the person gets alert and is able to talk again but they would naturally be dazed and unsteady for a short while.
• They might feel drowsy in some cases and would want to rest for a while.

What can you do?
Any generalized seizure could be dangerous because the person is totally unaware of their surroundings and they cannot protect themselves from any harm. This raises the chances of getting hurt.

• Give them their space. Ensure other people vacate the room. Have only one experienced person monitor them
• Clear the space of hard objects, glass and furniture away. Electrical items must be removed
• Cushion the head if they are in a lying position
• Loosen the cloth around their neck – only if you can do it safely
• Never try to stop their movements and do not try to hold them
• Never place anything in their mouth. It is a myth that during seizure one could swallow their tongue
• If the head doesn’t move, turn it to one side and do it slowly
• Note down how long the seizure lasts. If it takes more than 3 minutes, it is best to dial 911, though it may not need that kind of attention.

Focal seizures
They are definitely less instance than tonic-clonic and lasts not more than a minute or two. The stiffness is largely around a part of the body like an arm for example. The repeated and rhythmic jerking movements can still be observed in this but are seen only in certain parts of the body which could eventually spread. The person could stare at nothing. They also may not realize what’s happening to them but they have absolutely no control over it. Even in this kind, they will not remember what has happened to them.

What can you do?
When the staring starts – guide the person to a safe pace away from hazards and traffic if they are outdoors. Otherwise, the first aid is the same as that of a tonic-clonic seizure.

In both cases, once the seizure stops, gently turn the person to one side so that their airway is clear.