Knowing the answers to the following questions will enable you to help someone during a seizure and to pass on the relevant information to medical personnel if necessary. Epileptic seizures usually stop of their own accord and last a similar length of time on each occasion. When a seizure does not stop naturally, or one seizure follows another with no recovery in between, it is known as status epilepticus and medical attention will be required. Some people may appear to be fully recovered but will need to be accompanied for a while for their safety. All this information can be recorded on an ID card available from the National Society for Epilepsy.
Most seizures happen without warning, last only a short time and stop without any special treatment.
Injuries can occur, but most people do not come to any harm in a seizure, and do not usually need to go to hospital or see a doctor. When a person has a convulsive seizure it is possible that their regular breathing pattern will be interrupted and their colour may be blue. Although this can be frightening to witness, it does not usually mean it is a medical emergency. Only move if they are in a dangerous place, e.g. in the road, top of stairs. Do not attempt to restrain the convulsive movements.