Seizures

If someone is having a seizure, you should put something in their mouth

Seizures can be pretty scary for people who aren’t used to seeing them. In a typical grand mal seizure, a person or child will lose all voluntary motor control and shake, sometimes violently. Unfortunately, when these seizures are presented in movies or TV shows, invariably someone offers the following advice: “Put something in his mouth so he can’t swallow his tongue.”

Never, ever do that.

The first thing to do is stay calm. The vast majority of seizures are not life-threatening, and most won’t even need medical intervention. So stay relaxed, and reassure those around you. The next thing to do is make sure there isn’t anything on the ground that could hurt the person having a seizure if he were to hit it. If there are sharp objects, you should move them away. Don’t, however, try to relocate the person. Don’t lift someone having a seizure or try and restrain them. They aren’t going to hurt themselves. Of course, if they are near a cliff or road, you should prevent them from going over. Common sense should still apply.

It is totally reasonable to loosen a tie or anything around a seizing person’s neck. It is also a good idea to turn them gently onto their side so any liquid in the mouth drains out. You can even cushion their head gently as long as you don’t restrain them. It’s also a good idea to time the seizure; you should get more concerned if it lasts five minutes or more.

What you should never, ever do is pry open a person’s mouth or put anything in it while they are having a seizure. Contrary to what you may have heard, a person cannot swallow their tongue while they are having a seizure. Forcing a person’s mouth open could injure their teeth, tongue, or jaw. It could also result in a serious injury to your fingers. Placing anything in their mouth also places them at serious risk for choking.

You should always err on the side of caution when considering calling for help. If you’re concerned, call. That’s what emergency services are for. But most of the time they aren’t necessary. Exceptions include pregnant women, people with diabetes, and seizures that occur in water or last more than five minutes. You should also call if a seizing person stops breathing, starts seizing again before waking up, or if the person comes out of the seizure and says this was his or her first seizure.