Why is it important to record seizures?

Why is recording seizures important? Getting and keeping seizure control is the number one goal for most people. Keeping track of seizures is the best way to know how many seizures a student has, what type, and how they affect the student. This information helps the epilepsy team know what treatment may be best.

What should be recorded about a seizure?

If known, when the seizure started, was the person awake or asleep? Was the person restless or did they cry out before the seizure started? Was there any trigger for the seizure (such as feeling tired or stressed)? What position were they in when the seizure happened or when they were found?

What should be documented after a seizure?

Documentation of initial medical history and physical should include the date of seizure onset, type and frequency of seizures, description of typical seizures, previous antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) used, and the date of the last seizure.

How do you record a seizure?

If you care for someone who is experiencing seizures, it can be very helpful to record them with a smartphone or video camera. This can then be shown to the person's doctor, which may help in diagnosis and treatment. During and/or after the seizure, ask the person some questions and record their responses to you.

Why do seizures happen?

Your brain controls the way you function. Inside your brain, millions of nerve cells (neurones) pass messages via electrical signals to each other. During a seizure these electrical signals are disrupted and this affects how you feel or what you do while the seizure is happening.

What health history questions should you ask about seizure activity?

Questions the doctor may ask during your appointment

• When did your seizure(s) start?
• How many seizures have you had?
• Do you notice any changes prior to having a seizure?
• How long did the seizure(s) last?
• Have you been able to pinpoint any triggers?
• Are you on any medications?

How can seizures be prevented?

10 tips to prevent seizures

1. Take your medication as prescribed. Anti-epileptic medications are designed to help prevent seizures. ...
2. Don't consume alcohol. ...
3. Avoid substance misuse. ...
4. Practice stress management. ...
5. Maintain a sleep schedule. ...
6. Keep a consistent meal schedule. ...
7. Avoid flashing lights. ...
8. Protect yourself from head injuries.

What do you monitor after a seizure?

After the seizure, assess him for respirations and a pulse. 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.

What are complications of seizures?

Seizures may lead to injuries, including falls, shoulder dislocation, burns, fractures, oral/tongue trauma, and urinary or bowel incontinence. Loss of memory and postictal state and even brain injury may result, as well as aspiration pneumonia, and if prolonged, rhabdomyolysis.

What happens after a first seizure?

During the seizure, your lips may become tinted blue and your breathing may not be normal. After the seizure, you may be sleepy or confused. The symptoms of a seizure may be like those of other health conditions. Make sure to talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

What are the chances of having a second seizure?

The chance of another seizure can range from 16% to 61%, depending on the circumstances surrounding the seizure and results of a neurological exam or other tests.

How long can a seizure last before brain damage?

A seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes, or having more than 1 seizure within a 5 minutes period, without returning to a normal level of consciousness between episodes is called status epilepticus. This is a medical emergency that may lead to permanent brain damage or death.

Can seizures cause brain damage?

To summarize, prolonged seizures can result in brain damage, while recurring seizures can also have adverse effects on brain functioning. In turn, traumatic brain injuries can also lead to various types of seizures, which may cause further damage.

Can seizures be life threatening?

Seizures can be fatal, but dying from a seizure is uncommon . Epilepsy is a group of conditions in which people have seizures. However, a person without epilepsy can also have a seizure. Many seizure deaths come from external factors like drowning, falling, or choking that occur during a seizure.

What it feels like to have a seizure?

Some people have nausea or unusual feelings that are difficult to describe. These seizures may also result in difficulty speaking, involuntary jerking of a body part, such as an arm or a leg, and spontaneous sensory symptoms such as tingling, dizziness and seeing flashing lights.

What are 4 priority medical interventions for seizure activity?

A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain.
...
Nursing interventions for a child with seizure disorder include the following:

• Prevent trauma/injury. ...
• Promote airway clearance. ...
• Improve self-esteem. ...
• Enforce education about the disease.

What can happen after a seizure?

As the seizure ends, the postictal phase occurs - this is the recovery period after the seizure. Some people recover immediately while others may take minutes to hours to feel like their usual self.

Do seizure patients need oxygen?

Airway management for a patient having a seizure involves protecting the upper airway, administering high-flow oxygen and assisting ventilation if needed [4].

Can phones cause seizures?

Too much texting and exposure to computer screens – electronic stress – can set off an epileptic attack. Factors like emotional stress, skipping meals, sleep deprivation, fatigue, smoking, alcohol consumption, etc. can also trigger seizures in persons with epilepsy.

Can stress cause seizures?

Emotional stress also can lead to seizures. Emotional stress is usually related to a situation or event that has personal meaning to you. It may be a situation in which you feel a loss of control. In particular, the kind of emotional stress that leads to most seizures is worry or fear.

Do seizures increase with age?

The incidence of any type of seizure increases substantially over the age of 60, commonly due to other neurological conditions such as dementia or stroke.

How does epilepsy impact a person's life?

People with epilepsy often experience changes in their quality of life such as less mobility, as well as the impact on learning, school attendance, employment, relationships, and social interactions.

What other information do you need to obtain to determine whether a seizure episode has likely occurred?

An electroencephalogram (EEG).

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.

Is seizure the same as epilepsy?

A seizure is a single occurrence, whereas epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by two or more unprovoked seizures.

Are seizures painful?

In general, the actual experience of having a seizure does not hurt. Pain during seizures is rare . Some types of seizures make you lose consciousness.