One in every hundred Spaniards has epilepsy, and although it does not always manifest itself with a generalized seizure that causes loss of consciousness, if we witness one we must act quickly to save that person's life.
In a disease whose diagnosis increases by 50 new cases every day, being prepared to help is something very simple that only requires our hands. And there is nothing more frustrating than experiencing an episode like this and not knowing how to act.
Do only people with epilepsy have seizures?
Not at all, anyone can have a seizure at any given moment. We must understand that seizures are a symptom, not a disease. They are like fever or cough, a symptom that appears as a result of a health problem.
You can have seizures due to a significant drop in blood sugar, not sleeping, high fever, consuming toxins, trauma, a brain hemorrhage... and also due to epilepsy.
If someone has a seizure, will I know clearly?
You may have seen an actor convulsing in a movie, and although not all epileptic seizures are like this because this only occurs in generalized tonic-clonic seizures, you will notice it right away because it is quite similar to what we see in fiction.
You will notice that the person falls to the ground, completely loses consciousness and that their arms and legs begin to shake suddenly. It would not be unusual for him to leak urine, for his eyes to move strangely, or for him to expel copious amounts of saliva from his mouth. But don't get nervous or pass by, it's time to act and that person depends on you to survive.
This is how we must act step by step
Monitor the environment and secure it. It is as simple as moving any object that could harm him or her away from the person who is having a seizure: a stove, a vase...
Protect your head and place it on its side. With each shake you will be hitting it against the floor, so all you have to do is place a cushion or a folded piece of clothing under it. Likewise, it is important to place it on its side to let saliva or vomit escape.
Remove what bothers you. We will loosen anything that is constricting such as the tie, scarf, belt... we will also remove the glasses to prevent injury.
Control the time. The vast majority of crises last very few minutes, although it may seem like an eternity. If it lasts more than 4 or 5 minutes, repeats itself or is the first time it happens, we will call 112.
When the crisis completely subsides, please do not leave the person alone. Usually she will not remember anything of what happened, she will be confused and disoriented or even drowsy. Turn it and place it on its side, walk with it.
Taking action is not dangerous for us nor will it cause us any problems, but it can make the difference between life and death for the person who is having a seizure. Even if the time comes you can't remember these simple steps, you just have to call 112 and they will guide you.
Shouldn't we put something in his mouth?
No. None of the current medical guidelines state that it is necessary to try to force the mouth open to insert an object and prevent the child from biting or swallowing his or her tongue. It is a very widespread myth.
Nor should we hold arms and legs to try to stop the seizure, since we will not succeed, but we will cause damage.
We will only offer food or drink when the person has fully recovered.
Can people with epilepsy lead a normal life?
It is estimated that seven out of 10 patients with epilepsy, with appropriate treatment, can enjoy a completely normal life without seizures. Epilepsy is not a mental illness, it is a physical problem caused by abnormal and sporadic functioning of one or more groups of neurons.
Is it true that some can predict seizures?
Some patients experience so-called 'auras' just a few seconds before the onset of the epileptic seizure. This helps them to get to safety, for example, by moving away from a window or down a ladder, and to warn someone nearby. Some patients define them as visual alterations, others as a strange taste in the mouth, as a strange sensation...
