The common myths of epilepsy that I've heard are: 1. Place something in their mouth so the person seizing won't bite off their tongue and or choke on it.
The 2nd one I heard while I was in my freshman year in college. I was taking a Speech class and had to teach the classroom something for five minutes. Naturally I chose epilepsy. I spoke of my seizure experiences and told how my mom witnessed my second one. When I told them how my mother said I didn't breathe for three minutes the teacher asked, "Doesn't that mean you were dead?"
So the 1st one: do people who are seizing bite off their tongue, swallow it, and choke on it? No. More than likely they'll bite their tongue but they won't bite it off. Also, they don't swallow while they're seizing so, no they won't swallow their tongue.
2nd are we alive? Yes. While we may not be breathing our hearts are still beating, so we still have a pulse. Also, our brains are alive so obviously people seizing are still alive.
Another myth is that you need to call 911 after every seizure. No, only if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes or if they are having seizures continuously. Also, you'll need to call 911 if the person seizing does not have a history of having seizures. If someone falls and/or gets injured before or after having a seizure please stay with him/her and call 911.
Seizures are serious and are scary. They do cause damage to brain cells. Because we don't breathe during seizures our brains are being starved of oxygen, which of course, is dangerous for pregnant women too. If the woman seizing is pregnant you'll need to call 911. She could have fallen and injured her abdomen, or she might've gotten hurt while she was seizing.
When you see someone seizing:
1. remain calm. They're not freaks, they're not possessed. It's something that he/she can't help because let's be honest, who wants to have a seizure?
2. Lay him/her on their side. Because people seizing don't swallow, their spit is accumulating in their mouth and when he does stop seizing he'll need to swallow and he won't want to choke on his spit. Also, if he's on his side he's less likely to hit his head on the ground or something else.
3. Loosen his clothes if you need to. (Ties or button up shirts/jackets. Things that could be constricting his airway).
4. Time the seizure. A normal seizure will last under five minutes. If it's longer call 911.
5. Stay with him. Be calm. Be patient. A person coming out of a seizure will be confused and disoriented. Be reassuring. Be kind.
I know a few people will want to try and stop someone from seizing so you might try to hold them down. Please don't. You or the person seizing could get hurt in the process.
There is no cure for epilepsy. Unfortunately anti seizure medications don't work for everyone. People die every year from seizing in a bathtub or a pool where they drown. People lose consciousness and have a seizure while driving or get seriously injured on the fall down as they lose consciousness. I'll say it again it's not fun living with epilepsy. But you can make it easier for people like me who are living with epilepsy by educating yourself about this condition and offering support to those affected by epilepsy. Always be kind and don't judge what you don't understand.
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