When someone experiences a seizure, it can be a disorienting and potentially dangerous event. Placing the individual in the recovery position is an important first aid measure. This position helps protect them and maintain an open airway during and after the seizure.
Understanding Its Purpose
Placing someone in the recovery position after a seizure prevents serious complications like aspiration and airway obstruction. Aspiration occurs when foreign material, such as vomit, saliva, or blood, enters the lungs. During a seizure, a person may lose consciousness and their protective reflexes, increasing the risk of inhaling these fluids. This can lead to aspiration pneumonia, a lung infection caused by foreign material.
While a person cannot swallow their tongue during a seizure, the tongue can relax and fall back, potentially blocking the airway. The recovery position uses gravity to keep the tongue from obstructing the throat and allows any fluids in the mouth to drain out. This ensures the person continues to breathe effectively.
How to Place Someone
Once convulsive movements stop, gently place the person in the recovery position. Begin by kneeling on the floor beside them. Straighten both of their legs and their arm nearest to you. Position the arm nearest to you at a right angle to their body, bent at the elbow with the palm facing upwards.
Next, take their other hand (the one furthest from you) and place its back against the cheek closest to you, guiding and supporting their head. Use your other arm to reach across and pull up the knee furthest from you, bending the leg so the foot is flat on the floor. Gently pull on this bent knee to roll the person towards you, onto their side.
After rolling, adjust the upper leg so both the hip and knee are bent at right angles, resting on the floor to help balance them. Ensure their head is tilted slightly back to open the airway and check for any obstructions. Stay with the person, providing reassurance, until they have fully recovered.
Beyond the Position: Essential Steps
Beyond the recovery position, other actions ensure safety during a seizure. Clear the area around the person to prevent injury from hard or sharp objects. Place something soft, like a rolled-up jacket or pillow, under their head.
Do not hold the person down or stop their movements, as this can cause injury. Do not put anything into their mouth; attempting to insert an object could injure their teeth or jaw, or cause choking. Loosen any tight clothing around their neck, such as a tie or collar, to assist with breathing. Note the seizure’s start time, as its duration is important for medical professionals.
When to Call for Emergency Help
While most seizures resolve quickly without emergency medical intervention, certain situations warrant immediate professional help. Call emergency services if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes. Call if the person has another seizure without fully regaining consciousness.
Contact emergency services if this is their first seizure, or if they have trouble breathing or waking up after it stops. Call if the person sustains an injury, the seizure occurs in water, or if they have a known medical condition like diabetes or pregnancy.