Calm, simple, safety-focused steps for helping someone during and after a seizure.
Seizure first aid should be calm, simple, and focused on safety. Many seizures end on their own within a few minutes. The goal is not to control the seizure. The goal is to protect the person from injury, watch what happens, and know when emergency help is needed.
Call 911 If
- A convulsive seizure lasts 5 minutes or longer.
- Another seizure begins soon after the first, or seizures repeat without the person returning to their usual state.
- The person has trouble breathing or waking up.
- The seizure occurs in water.
- The person is injured, pregnant, or seriously ill.
- The person has diabetes and loses consciousness.
- It is a first known seizure.
- The person asks for emergency medical help.
Follow an individualized seizure action plan when one exists. For someone whose usual convulsive seizures stop well before five minutes, a seizure lasting substantially longer than their normal pattern may require emergency treatment sooner according to that plan.
What To Do During a Seizure
- Stay calm. Keep your voice steady and avoid panic. Most seizures stop on their own.
- Protect from injury. Move hard or sharp objects away. If possible, ease the person to the floor and cushion the head.
- Time the seizure. Watch the clock or start a timer. Duration matters.
- Turn them on their side. If the person is not awake and aware, turn them gently onto their side when you can do so safely, with the mouth angled toward the ground to help keep the airway clear.
- Stay with them. Remain until the person is awake, alert, and safe. If they are confused or wandering, gently guide them away from traffic, stairs, water, or other hazards rather than restraining them.
What Not To Do
- Do not hold the person down or try to stop their movements.
- Do not put anything in their mouth.
- Do not give food, water, or pills until they are fully alert.
- Do not give mouth-to-mouth breaths during the seizure. If the seizure has ended and the person is not breathing normally, call 911 and begin CPR if you are trained to do so.
After the Seizure
Recovery can include confusion, fatigue, headache, embarrassment, or emotional distress. Speak calmly, offer privacy and reassurance, and stay until the person is alert and safe. Do not give food, drink, or pills to swallow until they are fully awake and able to swallow safely.
If the person has a prescribed seizure action plan or rescue medication, follow the individualized instructions you have been trained to use.
Seizure in Water
Support the person’s head and face above the surface, call for help, and remove them from the water as quickly and safely as possible. Check breathing once they are out of the water. If they are not breathing normally, begin CPR if you are trained and call 911.
A seizure involving loss or change of awareness in water warrants emergency medical evaluation even if the person appears to recover.
For Family and Caregivers
Learn the person’s usual seizure pattern, emergency thresholds, and individualized seizure action plan when one exists. Knowing what is typical—and what is not—can make first aid faster and more appropriate.
Related Epilepsy Pages
Medical Disclaimer
This page is for educational and informational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, emergency training, or a person-specific seizure action plan. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.