My seizure first aid

In someone with documented epilepsy, a seizure is not usually an emergency. The line for "emergency" is drawn in different places, usually involving things like injury, right after a knock to the head, excessively long (usually 5 minutes), or repeated seizures without regaining consciousness in between.

For absence seizures, I don't need or want anything. If I have a whole bunch, maybe tell me (and be prepared for me to say nonono) , if I have one on the stairs or something I'd rather not fall down too many. That's about it.

With tonic-clonic, get out a watch & time that shit. If you stick something in my mouth, I will assume that you don't hold your teeth in high regard either & consider taking them off your hands, and if you try to hold me down we will likely both get hurt. Just turn me on my side & put something under my head if you can do that without hurting yourself-I'm remarkably durable-otherwise, just wait till it's over & don't let me choke on my own drool. Isn't that an attractive mind picture?

Usually I have partial complex, which take a little more finesse since I can react to my surroundings (ish. not quite logically, but there are reactions). I vehemently do not want an ambulance. Go ahead and time things, but as soon as I start signing at you the timer stops. If I'm doing the wandering thing, don't let me walk into traffic. But don't be abrupt about that, because, again, we'll both get hurt. No matter what you do, stay calm. Otherwise I'll freak out and not understand why. Keep your voice level-I may not understand the words, but I do pick up on emotional tone, & a tired and confused post-seizure period is way better than an upset and anxious one.

If it actually IS an emergency, well, that's why I wear a medicalert, but it almost never is.