Ask the Pharmacist

Q: I’ve just had a loved one diagnosed with a seizure disorder. What do I need to tell others about this so that they can help keep my loved one safe?

A: When your child, spouse or other loved one is first diagnosed with a seizure disorder, there are many things you learn that can aid in your loved one's care and allow him/her to live in a normal and healthy manner.

Regardless of the age of the patient, there are also things you will probably need to do in order to educate others so that they, too, will know what to do if a seizure occurs when you are not around.

Just who are these others? Well, that will depend on your circumstances, but obvious choices include teachers, babysitters, a close colleague at work, a best friend or their parent if your child/teen spends lots of time at their house, a girl/boyfriend and the list can go on.

What might, in fact, be wise in order to spare yourself repetitive conversations where you might leave out a crucial detail, is to prepare a one- or two-page point-form summary to give to them. Do not make it too technical. They do not need to know, for instance, the specific name of the seizure disorder or a lot of the scientific information behind it. Keep it simple and as short as you can safely do.

We would start by telling them what a typical seizure for your affected one looks like. While there are many types of seizures, they usually follow the same pattern in an individual. In other words, they tend to look the same each time, and this will help the person you’re speaking to identify when your loved one is having a seizure.

Not all seizures involve shaking and stiffness as many people seem to believe, so spotting one is not as easy as they might suppose. We would also give them an idea of how long the seizure tends to last and how often the patient has seizures. This can vary greatly, as up to 70 per cent will have the seizures effectively controlled by preventative medication, meaning the patient rarely, if ever, has one. However, other seizure-sufferers, who are not well-controlled (at least, as of yet), might seize daily or more often.

You should also inform them of triggers that seem to set off a seizure, as you identify them. Common triggers include a fever, an infection, missed medication doses, a lack of sleep (a very common trigger and of importance if your child is going to the always-misnamed “sleepover”), over-excited/stressful events, alcohol and drugs, and flashing lights like a strobe.

Interestingly, flashing lights are a very uncommon trigger despite perceptions otherwise. Only five per cent of epileptics report it as a trigger, and an EEG can tell whether your loved one is one of those five per cent, before you have to find out the hard way.

You might also want to send your affected one with a rescue medication in which case you will want to tell others what it is and when to give it. Seizures generally do not require rescue medications (this is the name we give to a drug that can stop a seizure quickly) as they are generally harmless occurrences that last only a short time and do not damage the brain.

The brain is only at risk if a seizure lasts longer than 30 minutes which is very rare for most. Most experts recommend using a rescue drug only if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes or if they occur in a cluster so that there are three or more within an hour.

We would also give the others an idea as to when they should call 911. Once again, it is a call they will not likely have to make even with an individual who seizes more frequently. We would call if the seizure continues five minutes after they administered a rescue medication; if the person was injured during the seizure; if the person is also a diabetic; if the person is struggling for breath or if the seizure occurred in water (since the person might aspirate or breathe in water which will put the lungs in jeopardy).

Not related to this talk, but we would also call for emergency help if this was the first time the person had ever suffered from a seizure.

Other things we would tell the others is that while your loved one is seizing, they should immediately start a timer (so they know if it’s getting close to five minutes), turn the person on the side with the head straight with the body so that the airway is open, remove any items/objects the person might bang against, and remain calm.

Remember, seizures are more bark than bite. Do not put anything in the person's mouth or try to restrain his/her movements. The person will be fine.

Lastly, we would instruct them as to how your affected one behaves after a seizure. Like the seizure, itself, the after-effects tend to be pretty consistent for an individual and last roughly the same time after each episode.

Some epileptics will experience one or more of the following symptoms: a headache, confusion, drowsiness, muscle soreness, weakness (and rarely paralysis); or psychiatric symptoms: a sudden case of anxiety or depression.

These residual effects can last from seconds to days and usually require no treatment but it would be a nice thing for the others around the affected individual to know what to expect.

It seems like a lot to tell people, which is why we would take the time to sum it up in point-form on a sheet. The main message, we believe, despite all of the above, is to reassure others that seizures are generally no big deal and the affected person is going to be just fine the vast majority of the time regardless of whether they do everything “right.”

For more information about this or any other health-related questions, contact the pharmacists at Gordon Pharmasave, Your Health and Wellness Destination. Also check the website at www.gordon-pharmasave.com/ and the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GordonPharmasave/?fref=ts