First Aid Absence Seizures

 

Absence seizures usually require no first aid. They are brief and almost never associated with falling or injury. There may be situations where people will need help during absence seizures. Many absence seizures can occur close together in a cluster. When this happens, the person may be confused and not know what they are doing or be in an unsafe place.

  • Keep a person who looks confused in a safe place.
  • Take dangerous objects out of their hands.
  • Remove the person from sports, water, or other potentially dangerous activities during the cluster or confused period.

Very rarely, absence seizures can occur as a continuous state called "absence status epilepticus." The term nonconvulsive status epilepticus may also be used to describe the same situation.

Authored By:

Joseph I. Sirven MD / Patricia O. Shafer RN MN

on Saturday, September 02, 2017

Reviewed By:

Epilepsy Foundation Communications

on Friday, January 03, 2020

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