Things that happen in class...

[intertext]

So, one of my students had a "petit mal" epileptic seizure today during Peer Editing. Hardly anyone, except me and the members of her editing group, even noticed, which is extremely surreal. She came to a stop - she was just... stopped, and I went up and said, " *student* are you okay?" and she quite obviously wasn't, so I was thinking "oh, gee,

Comments

[noveldevice]

Speaking as someone who once woke up on the floor with a crowd of people standing around and some serious bruises, don't put things in someone's mouth unless there are clear indications they're needed.

I'd have seriously lost my shit if I'd come to and there'd been something in my mouth.

[noveldevice]

You can't swallow your tongue. :) You might occlude your airway if your muscles go limp and your tongue falls back, but you're not going to swallow it.

If there's a risk of someone biting their tongue, putting something between their teeth is probably a good idea, but you need to be careful. Not all seizures are like that.

[noveldevice]

Depends on how bad it is.

If that's all, just wait it out. If it's a serious one, call or have someone call 911, and look for a medic-alert bracelet or necklace.

[intertext]

Yeah - that's pretty much what you have to do.

I had a student in a previous class who came with a form filled out with specific instructions about what to do in certain circumstances. This one had contacted me previously by email about having epileptic seizures but hadn't given me any particular instructions. Obviously, had things not righted themselves very quickly, I would have called 911, or had someone do that for me. But, golly, it is scary!

[gillpolack]

I have an epileptic student and taht's what he's advised me to do: wait it out. He comes to by himself when the fit passes.

[sartorias]

911 if there isn't an established emergency procedure in place, much drilled. (I not only want them safe, I don't want to be sued.)

[a_d_medievalist]

I'd curse myself for not having taken more first aid and not keeping my CPR up to date -- *reminds self*

and then I'd ask if there were any EMTs in class (we have lots of volunteer fire departments here), get them down to keep an eye on things, and call 911. And after that, call public safety.

I think we are technically supposed to call the health center on campus, now that I think about it. And they have an EMT. So I might call them first.

[intertext]

All this was complicated and I think my sense of helplessness was compounded by the fact that it was my night class, and the campus is pretty much shut. We have trained first-aid people, but of course they are not at work after 5:00. Thinking about it now, I remember where the "break this glass in an emergency" phone is, but I doubt I would have at the time. You have to thank heavens for the fact that every student in the class these days has a cell phone.

[brinian]

Cell phones are a great thing. For seizures, clear the area (so the person can't slam into something and injure him/herself), if they are on the ground cushion the head from slamming into the floor/ground. Otherwise just wait it out. If they are really out of it afterwards, call for medical attention...most of the time they just need rest, rehydration and electrolytes (Gatorade, orange juice, grape juice). You might want to ask the student what she prefers you to do if it happens again as different people have different types of seizures and different ways of recovering. It's a shock when it happens unexpectedly, but not typically an "emergency" unless it doesn't resolve itself in a few minutes.