06.05.2021

Seizures

Photo: Samuli Raappana / Suomen Punainen Risti

Call 112 immediately. 

Dysfunctions in the brain may cause unintentional muscle spasms and seizures. A person may be seizing for several reasons: high fever, poisoning, head injury, epilepsy, cerebral haemorrhage or low blood sugar in diabetics.
Seizures can also be linked to cardiac arrest.

Symptoms of a fit of unconsciousness seizure

  • The person loses consciousness and falls, and their limbs and body seize.
  • The seizure usually only lasts for 1–2 minutes.
  • The person often wakes up immediately but may be incoherent.

First aid for seizures

  1. Call 112 immediately. If you know that the victim suffers from epilepsy, call 112 if the seizure lasts for more than five minutes or repeats.

  2. Do not try to prevent the seizure movement, but ensure that the victim does not hit their head or otherwise hurt themselves.

  3. When the seizure allows you to, turn the victim onto their side.

  4. When the seizure is over, check whether the victim is breathing normally, and turn them into the recovery position.

  5. In case of a child’s fever-related seizure, contact a doctor.

  6. If the seizure passes by itself, ensure that the victim has entirely recovered before leaving them.

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First aid for seizures Video: Samuli Raappana / Finnish Red Cross

Call the general emergency number 112 in an emergency.

Follow these instructions when making the emergency call

First aid instructions: removing a foreign object