Memo to parents of patients with epilepsy

It is important for parents of patients with epilepsy to adhere to a number of guidelines.

It should be borne in mind that at present, the qualified selection of antiepileptic drugs (AED), which is carried out by a doctor, allows in most cases to gradually achieve a complete cessation of seizures in patients or significantly alleviate them.

When an attack occurs for the first time, you should:

1. Call an ambulance immediately or consult an epileptologist.
2. After a doctor prescribes treatment, a long-term continuous intake of AED under the supervision of the attending physician is necessary.
3. It is strictly forbidden to independently change drugs or their dosages. This can lead to a sharp deterioration in the course of the disease or the appearance of undesirable reactions.
4. Immediately inform the attending physician about the deterioration of the child’s well-being or the appearance of side effects from therapy, as well as about the ongoing treatment for other diseases.

Rules of conduct and emergency care during an attack.

People who are near a patient who has developed a seizure should be aware that the seizure that has begun cannot be stopped or prevented. To provide a person with real help during an attack, you must remain calm and adhere to the following rules.

1. Clear space around and isolate the patient from any objects that could injure him during the attack.
2. Do not try to move the person away from the place where they developed the seizure. This is required only if there is a risk of additional injuries (the patient is on the roadway, near a fire, on a ladder, on the shore of a reservoir, etc.)
3. Place the patient on a flat surface with the patient on their side or with their head turned on their side (to avoid aspiration of saliva / vomit) and placing something soft under their head. Unbutton the collar, free your neck from tight clothing.
4. You should not restrain convulsive movements – they will stop on their own within a few minutes.
5. Do not try to open the patient’s jaw during an attack, do not put anything in his mouth for this purpose.
6. As the seizures stop, turn the patient onto their side to avoid aspiration of saliva.
7. Do not give any medicine by mouth (by mouth) during an attack. Don’t give him anything to drink until he is fully awake.
8. Stay close to the end of the attack and complete recovery of consciousness in the patient. If, at the end of the attack, the patient quickly regains consciousness, he does not have any complications, then he does not need urgent medical attention.

It is necessary to seek medical help (call an ambulance team) in the following cases:

1. The attack does not stop within 5-10 minutes.
2. The attacks follow one after the other in the form of a series, between the attacks the patient does not regain consciousness.
3. The patient has impaired breathing.
4. The attack resulted in physical injury.

In everyday life, the organization of the correct sleep / wake regime plays an important role; late going to bed and unusually early awakening should be avoided. This is especially important for attacks that occur early in the morning, during the period of awakening. Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, sauna, bathing alone. You should not be near moving mechanisms, near a fire, at a height. Reducing the time for watching TV and computer games is necessary only for photosensitive forms of epilepsy, when seizures are caused by rhythmic flashes of light, with these forms it may be necessary to wear special glasses especially on the street on sunny days (polarizing glasses). Electrical and thermal physiotherapy procedures are prohibited. There are no special dietary restrictions.

School activities and assignments must be completed in full. Time restrictions may be required only during the selection and correction of antiepileptic therapy. Remember that unreasonable restrictions can negatively affect the development of the child as a person and contribute to the formation of an “inferiority complex”. The child should not feel isolated from society.