How can I tell if a person is okay after a seizure?

Ask questions to determine if the person knows his/her name, where he/she is, what time or day it is, and what happened. If the person is unable to answer these questions, telling him/her this information may help decrease confusion and orient him/her to their surroundings. Before you leave the person alone, be sure that he/she is able to answer the four W’s:  who, what, when, and where.

Should I tell a person who has had a seizure what happened during the seizure?

The unpredictability of seizures coupled with feelings of loss of control that a person with epilepsy experience is often amplified by his/her not knowing what occurs during a seizure. Although the person with seizures may not be ready to discuss what happened immediately following the seizure it is important and helpful for him or her to know. This information enables the person and his/her healthcare providers to determine the type of seizures, effectiveness of treatment and need for changes. Additionally, knowing what happened during a seizure and having a chance to talk about it may help make the seizures less scary and life seem more predictable.

For more seizure safety first aid information go to: Downloadable guide

Based in part on Brainstorms Companion: Epilepsy in Our View, Living Safely with Epilepsy (113-129).

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, M.D.
Last Reviewed: 5/22/06