Seizure Care

Your brain is controlled by electrical signals. Seizures happen when there’s a problem with these signals. For a lot of seizures, the cause isn’t known. However, some may be caused by a high fever, head injury, or poisoning.

During a Seizure

Most seizures are mild. Your child may stare, be confused, or not respond for a short time. Some seizures can lead to:

• Sudden, uncontrolled movements like body shaking. This may happen in the whole body or a part like the face, arms, or legs.
• Eyes move fast from side to side, rolling to one side, or rolling back. This can make it hard to see the colored part of the eye.
• Irregular breathing.
• Lips turn a bluish color.
• Peeing or pooping during the seizure.

What To Do

You can’t make the seizure stop. Do your best to stay calm and keep your child safe.

• If they’re sitting or standing, gently move them to the floor. Remove things nearby they may bump into, like a chair.
• Lay them on their side and turn their head to face downward.
• Loosen tight clothing. If your child wears glasses or hearing aids, remove them.
• Look to see exactly how your child moves and responds to you so you can describe it later.
• Write down how long the seizure lasts.
• Try taking a video of the seizure on your phone or camera. This can help their care team.

What Not to Do

Do not try to open your child’s mouth or place anything between their teeth. This could injure their gums, break their teeth, or make it easier to choke.

• Do not put your fingers into their mouth. They might bite them.
• Do not try to stop the movements.
• Do not use cold water or add rubbing alcohol to bath water to bring a fever down.

Rescue Medicines

If your child has rescue medicine for seizures, give it to them if their seizure has lasted more than 5 minutes or they have a group of seizures. If the seizure(s) doesn’t stop within 5 minutes after giving the rescue medicine, call 911.

What to Watch For

Being able to describe your child’s seizure will help their doctor or health care provider know what kind of treatment they need. Be ready to answer these questions:

• Was your child awake or asleep when the seizure happened? If they were awake, what were they doing when it started?
• What was the exact time of day?
• How did you notice the seizure? Did your child call out, fall, stare, or turn their head?
• Did the seizure start fast or slow?
• What part(s) of the body were shaking or jerking?
• Did your child’s:
  • Body become stiff or limp?
  • Eyelids flutter or the eyes roll?
  • Vomit, pee, or poop during or after the seizure?
  • Breathing change?
  • Show any signs of infection. 
  • Respond to you in any way during the event? (Look at you? Follow directions?)
  • Weakness in any specific part of their body after the seizure.
• How long did the seizure last?
• What was your child's behavior like after the seizure? Were the sleepy or confused? Do they remember what happened?
• Does your hold remember any unusual feeling before the seizure?
• If your child takes seizure medicine, when did they take it? When was the last dose? Did they miss any dose?
• Is there anything else about the seizure the doctor or health care provider should know?

After the Seizure

Let your child rest. They may be very tired and sleep for a few hours. They may have a mild headache. Within 30 minutes you should be able to get some response from your child, like opening their eyes, pushing you away, or waking up.

Keep a Seizure Record

A seizure record will help you record the seizure details. This can help during the first few visits with their doctor or health care provider. Ask their care team when to stop keeping a record.

Medicines

• Refill prescriptions at least 7 days before the last dose is used. When you order the last refill for a medicine, call the neurology office as soon as possible to ask for more refills.
• Give the medicine as it is written on the prescription bottle. Give it even if your child is not having seizures.
• Do not give extra medicine or change the medicine dose. If your child misses a dose, give it as soon as you remember. Do not give 2 or more doses in less than 4 hours.
• Learn the names and doses of your child’s medicine(s).

Activity

Your child should not:

• Do climbing activities.
• Not swim alone.
• Sleep on the top bunk of a bunk bed.
• Take a bath. They must shower.

When to Call 911

• Has seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes. The emergency squad can give your child medicine to stop the seizure.
• Has trouble breathing, and their skin or lips change color.
• Chokes on vomit, blood, or other fluid (secretions).
• Gets injured during a seizure and needs first aid.

Emergency Information

• Your child should wear a medical identification (ID) bracelet or necklace to let others know they have seizures.
• Take all your child’s medicines with you when they see a new doctor, health care provider, or go to an emergency room.
• Tell your child’s teachers, school nurse, coach, babysitter, and others that they take medicine for seizures.

^{Helping Hands™ Patient Education Materials}

^{Helping Hands™ are easy-to-read guides about different illnesses, therapies, surgeries, and more. They’re created by the Patient Education team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and are reviewed and approved by clinical staff, like nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and psychologists. Nationwide Children's Hospital is not responsible for misuse of information in patient education materials, including Helping Hands.}

^{HH-I-61  | ©1979, revised 2025, Nationwide Children’s Hospital}