In this post I write about a subject that’s very dear to me: kids with epilepsy. A lot of people who know me personally don’t know that I have a child who suffers from epilepsy. Right before my son turned three he began odd behavior. I thought since we just bought a new baby home he was acting out of character for attention. It seemed that he would hold his breath and turn blue for almost a minute. He wouldn’t respond to what I was saying. It was very scary. I had him evaluated several times. Our pediatrician concluded he was having breath holding spells in response to having a new baby at home. She was wrong. One Saturday morning at breakfast my son began seizing and we had to call 911. It was one of the scariest moments in my life. My heart skipped beats, I went into panic mode, I couldn’t breathe. This was my two year old baby and I didn’t know what to do for him.
That happened four years ago but I can recall it in my mind like yesterday. Today my son is a very normal and healthy 6 year old who has an immense love for insects and rockets.
If someone you know or love has a seizure use these general first aid tips:
- Keep calm and reassure other people who may be nearby.
- Don’t hold the person down or try to stop his movements.
- Time the seizure with your watch.
- Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp.
- Loosen ties or anything around the neck that may make breathing difficult.
- Put something flat and soft, like a folded jacket, under the head.
- Turn him or her gently onto one side. This will help keep the airway clear. Do not try to force the mouth open with any hard implement or with fingers. It is not true that a person having a seizure can swallow his tongue. Efforts to hold the tongue down can cause injury.
- Don’t attempt artificial respiration except in the unlikely event that a person does not start breathing again after the seizure has stopped.
- Stay with the person until the seizure ends naturally.
- Be friendly and reassuring as consciousness returns.
- Offer to call a taxi, friend or relative to help the person get home if he seems confused or unable to get home by himself.
-epilepsyfoundation.org
Remember that kids with epilepsy are no different than other children. It’s a very misunderstood disorder with a lot of stigma surrounding it. Often times, and even in my sons case, no cause can be found for the seizures. I hope I’ve raised some awareness in those reading today.
Has epilepsy affected you or any of your loved ones? Let’s connect! Leave a comment or find me on Instagram and Twitter @mommyweek #mommyweek or on Facebook.
Ashley
8 comments
MrsTDJ
November 5, 2013 at 11:45 amThank you so much for sharing! I’ve not personally experienced epilepsy, but a young lady in my son’s Pre-K class had a seizure during class last year. Thanks to a wonderfully trained teacher who did all the right things, she is fine. The teacher used the experience as a teachable moment so that the other 3 and 4 year olds would not be scared, and because they all are on the autism spectrum with my son, her explanations had to be very precise without being overly detailed. I hope that they will soon find a cause for your son’s condition. Prayers to your entire family and thanks for the tips.
Ashley
November 5, 2013 at 12:31 pmThank you so much for sharing your experience, MrsTDJ! It’s always about safety in these situations. I’m happy that there are people who can act fast without panicing in those scary moments.
Karnicsha
November 7, 2013 at 9:55 pmThanks for this post. A few different times my 2 yr old would stop breathing and I panicked every single time. The doctors don’t see anything or as they say, I did some research and I have seen alot of similar stories and in some cases seizures occur. My worst fear!
Ashley
November 7, 2013 at 11:19 pmHey Karni! Thanks for commenting! I know seizures are scary, but they usually aren’t the problem. The abnormal activity in the brain is. It’s mostly about safety and making sure our loved ones don’t harm themselves while it’s happening. Hopefully it’s nothing with your little one!
Michell
November 9, 2013 at 11:11 pmOMGee Ashley! Your son could have been my son, as he suffered seizures at that same age! We had no idea what was going on. His first episode happened at night when he was 3 years old, and was so severe we had to call 911. My husband rode in the ambulance with him and said he flatlined on the way to the hospital! We took him to specialist for months and was told that he had epilepsy. I praise God today because he hasn’t had a seizure since he started Kindergarten! He is now a senior in high school taking AP classes with a GPA of 3.9. Thanks so much for sharing your story! Dropping by from the BLM FB page. Have a lovely evening!
Michell @Prowess and Pearls
Ashley
November 12, 2013 at 9:00 amWow Michell! Thank you for sharing your story. That gives me a lot of hope that one day my son will be completely seizure free.
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