You have had aa epileptic seizure and been brought into the Emergency Department. You have had a thorough examination and are now considered fit to be discharged. The following instructions will be useful for yourself and your carers.
Epilepsy definition
A tendency to have recurrent epileptic seizures of primary cerebral origin
A seizure
Caused by excessive electrical brain activity. May affect: the person’s emotions, muscle tone, body posture, speech, breathing, sight and hearing, with loss of awareness or with loss of consciousness.
Facts and figures
- Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition in the UK (affecting over 456,000 people in the UK)
- 20–25% can be misdiagnosed as other things may cause similar symptoms
- 1:20 people will have a single seizure at some point in their life
- 1:200 children may have epilepsy
- 0.6%, about 1:200 people affected in the general population
- Estimated 30–50% people with learning disabilities affected
- Most people respond well to one type of medication and are well controlled
- 20–30% people have chronic epilepsy that is difficult to treat
- Injuries: burns, scalds, head injuries, deaths by drowning, falling downstairs
- Tonic–clonic seizures over 5 minutes dial 999
- Status epilepticus: seizure lasting over 30 minutes 12–18% mortality rate
First aid
Cushion the head; don’t resist movement, put them on their side after the seizure has finished, into the recovery position to help breathing.
To help diagnosis
- Description of events: date; time; circumstances; how seizure affected the persons arms, legs, breathing, consciousness; note their recovery time – how long before they are back to their normal self again
- Video of events at home using mobile phone or camera
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Contact in an Emergency
Charlie Bell, Adult epilepsy nurse specialist 023 9228 6000 ext 3907
Liz West, Paediatric epilepsy nurse specialist 023 9228 6000 ext 6156
bleep number: 0156
Epilepsy Society Helpline: 01494 601400
WebsiteEpilepsy Action Helpline: 0808 800 5050
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