WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEONE IS HAVING A CONVULSION

Seeing someone in the process of convulsion can be disturbing and frightening. Most observers usually don't know what to do and may even complicate the victim's problems through various false beliefs and practices. If you come across someone having convulsions, you can do the following: Do not restrain the victim. Do not try to put anything in the person's mouth or in between the teeth; A person with convulsions may bite his or her tongue but this is not life threatening. Try to restrain a fall so that the person does not hit something as he or she collapses. Often, the person knows she is about to have convulsions, and you can ask him or her to sit on the floor, or help him to sit down before a fall. Leave the person lying flat on a safe surface. Do not panic; loosen any tight clothing to make the person more comfortable. Stay with the person until the seizure has stopped. He or she may be confused or tired immediately after the convulsion. If the person has repeated convulsions, one after the other , seek medical intervention or assistance. With babies or young children , especially when convulsions occur during high fever episodes, you should tepid sponge the baby ,administer paracetamol and consult with a healthcare provider immediately. Your health care provider may also administer diazepam which is available on prescription only. For more information, please consult with a relevant healthcare provider.

By Dr. Joseph Madu (MPSN, FPCPHARM)
Extracted from LinkedIn