What do I need to know about someone's epilepsy?
You may be able to help someone with epilepsy if you know about their seizures. Here are some questions to help you.
- What type of seizures do they have, and what happens? For example a focal impaired awareness seizure or absence seizure.
- How long do their seizures normally last? Epileptic seizures usually stop by themselves. Although the length of seizures is different for each person a seizure usually lasts the same length of time for each person.
- How often do they have seizures? Some people keep a note of when their seizures happen, in a seizure diary.
- Are their seizures usually triggered or 'brought on' by anything, such as stress or tiredness?
- Do they have a history of status epilepticus? If so, do they need emergency medication?
- How long does it take them to recover after a seizure? Some people recover quickly, others may be confused for a while.
- Do they take anti-seizure medication? When do they usually take them?
- Do they have a medical ID card or jewellery that says how to help them during a seizure?
Information produced: September 2023
Epileptic seizures
There are many different types of epileptic seizure. Any of us could potentially have a single epileptic seizure at some point in our lives. This is not the same as having epilepsy, which is a tendency to have seizures that start in the brain.
First aid for epileptic seizures
A selection of first aid information for seizures including how to put someone into the recovery position and what to do if someone is in 'status'.
Anti-seizure medication (ASM)
Anti-seizure medication (ASM), previously known as anti-epileptic drugs or AEDs, is the main type of treatment for most people with epilepsy, that aims to stop seizures from happening.
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