should i report a patient with seizures

All seizure activity should be reported to their doctor.. Call 911 if the person has difficulty breathing or waking after the seizure or if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes. Show Sources

Full Answer

When do I have to report a seizure?

If so, you must report it within 30 days of the seizure, along with the physician's statement. If you fail to submit the report, the Commissioner of Public Safety can cancel or deny your driving privileges for six months from the date of the failure to report. Once you report, the Commissioner will review your report and the physician's statement.

Do I need to see a doctor for a seizure?

Having a strong support system is important to living with any medical condition. In some cases, seizures need immediate medical attention, and there's not always time to prepare for an appointment. In other cases, your first appointment to evaluate a seizure may be with your family doctor.

Should I go to the ER for a seizure?

Seizure under two minutes: If a patient has a short seizure (under two minutes) and recovers fine—meaning they can talk and move around and have not injured themselves—they likely do not need to go to the ER. In some cases, a seizure may require emergency medical treatment, such as:

Are people aware of what's happening during seizures?

People are rarely aware of what's happening. The most well-known type falls in this group: the generalized tonic-clonic seizure, also known as a grand mal seizure. These are frightening to watch and can be an emergency.

What would you do if you suspected someone having a seizure?

First AidKeep other people out of the way.Clear hard or sharp objects away from the person.Don't try to hold them down or stop the movements.Place them on their side, to help keep their airway clear.Look at your watch at the start of the seizure, to time its length.Don't put anything in their mouth.

What should a nurse do when someone has a seizure?

If they're present and he's unresponsive, turn him onto his side to help keep his airway patent. If necessary, insert an oral airway and use suction to remove secretions. Take his vital signs. If pulse or respirations aren't present, call for help and begin CPR.

Is it usually necessary to call 911 when someone has a seizure?

Seizures do not usually require emergency medical attention. Only call 911 if one or more of these are true: The person has never had a seizure before. The person has difficulty breathing or waking after the seizure.

Should you call an ambulance if someone has a seizure?

Call for an ambulance if any of these things apply: The seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes. They have one tonic-clonic seizure after another without regaining consciousness between seizures. They are seriously injured during the seizure. They have trouble breathing after the seizure has stopped.

What is the priority action for a client experiencing a seizure?

The priorities when caring for a patient who is seizing are to maintain a patent airway, protect the patient from injury, provide care during and following the seizure and documenting the event in the health record.

What do you monitor during a seizure?

An electroencephalogram (EEG). In this test, doctors attach electrodes to your scalp with a paste-like substance. The electrodes record the electrical activity of your brain, which shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording. The EEG may reveal a pattern that tells doctors whether a seizure is likely to occur again.

When is a seizure an emergency?

A seizure is considered an emergency when it lasts a long time or when seizures occur close together and the person doesn't recover between seizures.

How long should a seizure last before calling an ambulance?

Call 999 and ask for an ambulance if: it's the first time someone has had a seizure. the seizure lasts longer than is usual for them. the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, if you do not know how long their seizures usually last.

Are absent seizures an emergency?

Contact 911 or emergency services in your area: If you observe prolonged automatic behaviors lasting minutes to hours — activities such as eating or moving without awareness — or prolonged confusion, possible symptoms of a condition called absence status epilepticus. After any seizure lasting more than five minutes.

Is it OK to sleep after a seizure?

After the seizure: they may feel tired and want to sleep. It might be helpful to remind them where they are. stay with them until they recover and can safely return to what they had been doing before.

How long can a seizure last before brain damage?

If convulsive status epilepticus lasts for 30 minutes or longer it can cause permanent brain damage or even death.

How to know if you have a seizure?

Four other signs you need to call 911 when a seizure occurs 1 If the person has trouble breathing afterward or does not awaken after the convulsing has stopped 2 If the person has another seizure shortly after the first 3 If the person becomes injured or starts getting aggressive 4 If the person has a known health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, or is pregnant

What happens when you have a seizure?

When someone is experiencing a generalized chronic seizure, they may: Fall or collapse. Become unconscious. Convulse or shake. Stiffen and relax their muscles. Scream, grunt, or snort. Clench their teeth. Flail, twitch, or jerk their arms and legs.

How do you know if you need to call 911?

Four other signs you need to call 911 when a seizure occurs. If the person has trouble breathing afterward or does not awaken after the convulsing has stopped. If the person has another seizure shortly after the first. If the person becomes injured or starts getting aggressive.

How long does a seizure last?

How long do seizures last? The typical duration of a seizure lasts between one to three minutes. If it lasts longer than five minutes, you should call 9-1-1. “Longer seizures can be damaging to the brain,” says Timothy Lucas II, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Penn Medicine. “This is because seizures can use up the brain’s supply of oxygen and glucose, ...

How many people have epilepsy?

This illness has been on the rise for years and according to the Epilepsy Foundation, 1 in 26 individuals will develop epilepsy at some time in their life.

When someone has a seizure, should you put something in their mouth?

“There’s an old wives’ tale that when someone is having a seizure, you should put something in the person’s mouth,” says Kathryn Davis, MD, MTR, neurologist and medical director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at the Penn Epilepsy Center. “That is something you absolutely should not do.”

Can you turn a diaphragm to stop a seizure?

When someone is having a seizure, Dr. Lucas says DO NOT: try to hold the person down: This can cause injury and won't make the seizure stop.

Why is a generalized seizure dangerous?

Any generalized seizure can be dangerous because the person is unaware of their surroundings and can't protect themselves from harm. The uncontrolled thrashing movements during a generalized tonic-clonic seizure increase the chances of injury. This type is most likely to result in a trip to the emergency room.

What is a generalized seizure?

Generalized seizures involve multiple areas of the brain at once. People are rarely aware of what's happening. The most well-known type falls in this group: the generalized tonic-clonic seizure, also known as a grand mal seizure. These are frightening to watch and can be an emergency.

How to help a seizure?

You're most likely to need it for a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Keep other people out of the way. Clear hard or sharp objects away from the person. Don't try to hold them down or stop the movements. Place them on their side, to help keep their airway clear.

What happens when you wave a hand in your face?

They don't answer if you call. They won't react if you wave a hand in their face or shake them. They may suddenly collapse. Their muscles clench and they become rigid as a board.

Where do focal onset seizures start?

Focal onset seizures start in a single part of the brain. Their arm might start to move or their face start to twitch. And even though they're awake and aware, they can't control it. They might seem to zone out or stare at nothing as the seizure becomes complex. Afterward, they may not remember a thing.

Can you stop a seizure with epilepsy?

First Aid. Witnessing someone with epilepsy having a seizure can be truly frightening. But most seizures aren't an emergency. They stop on their own with no permanent ill effects. There isn't much you can do to stop a seizure once it starts. But there are simple steps you can take to protect someone from harm during a seizure.

Can you swallow your tongue during a seizure?

Contrary to a popular myth, you can't swallow your tongue during a seizure. But if you put an object in their mouth, they could damage their teeth or bite you. Milder seizures -- like brief periods of staring or shaking of the arms or legs -- aren't emergencies. But you should gently guide the person away from threats.

What to record about a seizure

Everyone is individual and people react in different ways to their seizures and in how they recover. Some people cannot remember what happened to them during a seizure, some like to be talked to during their seizures and as they recover, and some need to sleep afterwards.

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What is EEG brain activity?

EEG brain activity. An EEG records the electrical activity of your brain via electrodes affixed to your scalp. EEG results show changes in brain activity that may be useful in diagnosing brain conditions, especially epilepsy and other seizure disorders. High-density EEG. Open pop-up dialog box.

What does EEG show?

The electrodes record the electrical activity of your brain, which shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording. The EEG may reveal a pattern that tells doctors whether a seizure is likely to occur again. EEG testing may also help your doctor exclude other conditions that mimic epilepsy as a reason for your seizure.

How to control seizures?

Dietary therapy. Following a diet that's high in fat and very low in carbohydrates, known as a ketogenic diet, can improve seizure control. The ketogenic diet is very strict and can be challenging to follow, as there is a limited range of foods allowed.

What is the best medication for seizures?

Treatment for seizures often involves the use of anti-seizure medications. There are many different options for anti-seizure medication. One of the more recent medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration, cannabidiol (Epidiolex), is derived from marijuana. It's approved to treat certain seizures in children age 2 and older.

What to do if you witness someone having a seizure?

If you're at risk of having seizures in the future, pass this information along to family, friends and co-workers so that they know what to do if you have a seizure.

What to do after a seizure?

After a seizure, your doctor will thoroughly review your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor may order several tests to determine the cause of your seizure and evaluate how likely it is that you'll have another one. Tests may include: A neurological exam.

What is the purpose of a CT scan?

Computerized tomography (CT). A CT scan uses X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of your brain. CT scans can reveal abnormalities in your brain that might cause a seizure, such as tumors, bleeding and cysts. Positron emission tomography (PET).

What is the name of the condition where you fall down and drop your head?

Atonic seizures. Atonic seizures , also known as drop seizures, cause a loss of muscle control, which may cause you to suddenly collapse, fall down or drop your head. Clonic seizures. Clonic seizures are associated with repeated or rhythmic, jerking muscle movements.

How long does a seizure last?

Most seizures last from 30 seconds to two minutes. A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes is a medical emergency. Seizures are more common than you might think. Seizures can happen after a stroke, a closed head injury, an infection such as meningitis or another illness.

How many hours apart can you have two seizures?

It can cause changes in your behavior, movements or feelings, and in levels of consciousness. Having two or more seizures at least 24 hours apart that aren't brought on by an identifiable cause is generally considered to be epilepsy. There are many types of seizures, which range in symptoms and severity. Seizure types vary by where in the brain ...

What is the classification of seizures?

Cognitive or emotional symptoms, such as fear, anxiety or deja vu. Doctors generally classify seizures as either focal or generalized, based on how and where abnormal brain activity begins. Seizures may also be classified as unknown onset, if how the seizure began isn't known.

What is a temporary confusion spell?

Temporary confusion. A staring spell. Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs. Loss of consciousness or awareness. Cognitive or emotional symptoms, such as fear, anxiety or deja vu. Doctors generally classify seizures as either focal or generalized, based on how and where abnormal brain activity begins.

What causes low blood sodium?

Low blood sodium (hyponatremia), which can happen with diuretic therapy. Medications, such as certain pain relievers, antidepressants or smoking cessation therapies, that lower the seizure threshold. Head trauma that causes an area of bleeding in the brain. Abnormalities of the blood vessels in the brain.

What are the different types of seizures?

Different types of generalized seizures include: Absence seizures. Absence seizures, previously known as petit mal seizures, often occur in children and are characterized by staring into space or by subtle body movements, such as eye blinking or lip smacking.

How long do you have to be seizure free?

The best solution, if possible, is to get them under control. In most states, you must be seizure-free for anywhere from 6 months to a year before you'll be allowed to drive.

Do you have to report epilepsy to the DMV?

The Epilepsy Foundation also has a searchable database of state regulations on its website. In all cases, people with epilepsy must report their condition to their state's DMV. However, states require different people to do the reporting. Some want the doctor to contact the DMV.

Do you need to contact the DMV for an epilepsy?

Some want the doctor to contact the DMV. Others need the person with epilepsy to sign a simple form at the time of application for a license or renewal that says they'll notify the DMV of changes in their health status or driving ability.

Can someone with epilepsy drive for the first time?

When a person with epilepsy wishes to drive for the first time, they must fill out an application for a license, potentially with that special form. When someone who already holds a driver's license is diagnosed with epilepsy, that person must notify the DMV.

How long does a seizure last?

Status epilepticus: This refers to a continuous seizure that lasts longer than five minutes, or two or more seizures without full recovery . “The chances are that it may not end on its own, and that is an emergency,” says Dr. Kandula. “It’s best to proceed to the emergency room.

What are some examples of seizure that do not need emergency treatment?

The following examples of a seizure do not need emergency treatment: Aura: People with a seizure disorder sometimes experience an “aura,” which is itself a seizure, but is not an emergency. This is when the person experiences strange smells or tastes.

When is a seizure considered an emergency?

When It Is an Emergency. In some cases, a seizure may require emergency medical treatment, such as: First seizure: If this is someone’s very first seizure, getting emergency care is always recommended. “You do not know what is causing the seizure [and] you do not know how long the seizure may last,” says Dr. Kandula.

Do you need immediate medical attention for absent seizures?

These symptoms should be noted and relayed to a doctor later, but they do not require immediate medical treatment. Absence seizure: This is a type of seizure that involves a brief lapse in awareness. “People look absent. They stare and don’t pay attention,” says Dr. Kandula.

How to prepare for appointments with a seizure doctor

Studies show that when patients are actively involved in their own treatment, they often have better health outcomes. In the past, it was common for doctors to simply tell the patient what they had to do.

15 seizure questions to ask your neurologist

Everybody’s experience of epilepsy is different, so it is worth thinking of specific questions about how epilepsy will affect you.

Preparing for your next seizure doctor appointment

Because you are unique, you will almost certainly have specific questions to ask about epilepsy relating to your lifestyle. But, by taking a little time to prepare your next appointment, you can get the most out of the meeting.

How long do you have to report a seizure to the police?

If so, you must report it within 30 days of the seizure, along with the physician's statement. If you fail to submit the report, the Commissioner of Public Safety can cancel or deny your driving privileges for six months from the date of the failure to report.

What is voluntary control?

The rule defines loss of consciousness or voluntary control as the inability to assume or retain upright posture without support or the inability to respond rationally to external stimuli.

When to report loss of consciousness in Minnesota?

It states that a driver shall report an episode of loss of consciousness or voluntary control, in writing, to the DMV either at the time of applying for a driver's license; or within 30 days after the episode.

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