Two of my best friends in college have epilepsy — my former roommate and my current roommate. It's always a struggle, worrying whether or not they will have a seizure in the middle of the day or at night. It can sometimes be hard for her to remember to take her medicine, so I have to remind her. It's an uphill battle dealing with this. Sometimes, when they have seizures, it can scare me, but I realize that there are a few things I can do whenever that happens.
1. Stay calm.
It can be very easy to lose your cool whenever someone you love has a seizure. However, if you freak out, not only will they be scared when they come to, but you'll freak yourself out more if you start panicking. The best thing to do is take a few deep breaths and begin the rest of the steps.
2. Time the seizure.
It's very valuable to know how long the seizure is. This is because if it ever goes past five minutes, you need to call an ambulance. I've never had to call an ambulance, but, if need be, the paramedics will calm you down as well as help give the person having the seizure fluids. They can also help monitor the blood pressure and heart rate of the epileptic.
3. Call an RA and tell the parents.
If you're in college and your roommate has a seizure, tell an RA, and they can help call 911 as well as calm you down. You should also make sure that you tell the epileptic's parents. When I've witnessed seizures, I always tell their parents they are having a seizure and that I am already timing it. However, if the seizure ever exceeds five minutes, I would definitely tell an RA. That's why RAs are there; if you have an issue, you should go to them.
4. Let others in the suite know.
If you're living with other people, it's important to let everyone know so that they don't get worried. Also, they should be kept up to date with any changes to the epileptic's medicine dosage.
5. If they are on their stomach, flip them over.
If a person who is having a seizure is on their stomach, it is very important to flip them over. This is because if you don't, they could have trouble breathing.
Witnessing a seizure can be really tough for everyone involved, but if you know these steps, it could make it easier on both parties. Epilepsy is really awful, and I truly hope that there is a cure soon.
