3.1.46 Seizure Response

Policy Statement:

Seizures, or seizures-like episodes can be a symptom of multiple medical conditions including epilepsy, diabetic conditions, metabolic/electrolyte disorders, auto-immune disorders, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and other conditions.

Among the most common (but not the only) types of seizures are:

Simple partial seizure - may be fully conscious and just have twitches or jerks.

Complex partial seizures – consciousness is altered, may show confused behavior; may have effects such as lip-smacking, wandering, chewing. (Behaviors may seem purposeful but they are not and the person may not be aware of them.) Typically, the person is not aware of what occurred, though they were conscious. They may be tired afterwards.

Absence (petit mal) seizures – briefly loses awareness, appears to “switch off” or seem in a “trance”. This, of course, can lead to missed class notes or not hearing part of a lecture or demonstration.

Tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures – loses consciousness, becomes stiff and limbs jerk. Most common type. Last from a few seconds to longer. Leaves the person exhausted, confused, upset, and groggy, or with other effects. May be okay after 15 minutes or may need to nap for hours, or take several days to recover.

Seizure-like episodes, also called seizure mimics or non-epileptic seizures, are events that look like epileptic seizures but aren't caused by abnormal brain electrical activity and require careful medical evaluation (like EEG) to distinguish from true seizures.

Procedures:

When a student, employee, or campus visitor experiences a seizure or seizure-like episodes call 9-911 and then University Police (706-939-1349) immediately. The individual will still have the opportunity to refuse help/transportation after discussing their situation with the emergency services personnel.

Give the 911 dispatcher:

1. The building name/street address.
2. Room number.
3. Description of the emergency.

While waiting for the emergency services to arrive:

1. Keep calm and reassure other people who may be nearby.
2. Prevent injury by clearing the area around the person of anything hard or sharp.
3. If necessary, ease the person to the floor and put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under the head.
4. Remove eyeglasses and loosen ties or anything around the neck that may make breathing difficult.
5. Time the seizure with your watch.
6. Do not hold the person down or try to stop his movements.
7. Contrary to popular belief, it is not true that a person having a seizure can swallow his tongue. Do not put anything in the person’s mouth. Efforts to hold the tongue down can injure the teeth or jaw.
8. Turn the person gently onto one side. This will help keep the airway clear.
9. Don’t attempt artificial respiration except in the unlikely event that a person does not start breathing again after the seizure has stopped.
10. Stay with the person until emergency services arrive and release you from the scene.

A seizure with blank staring, loss of awareness, and/or involuntary facial movements:

1. Stay calm and speak reassuringly.
2. Guide the person away from dangers.
3. Block access to hazards, but don’t restrain the person.
4. If the person is agitated, stay a distance away, but close enough to protect the person until full awareness has returned.

Students and employees are encouraged to submit a Piedmont University Seizure Response Plan annual to the OARS office. The form can be obtained from the OARS office.