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SEEING ANOTHER HAVE A FIT

Sat, 12/24/2011 - 16:42

Hi guys!

Well when I was at work yesterday, a child of four had falling into an epilpetic fit... As a an Customer Care assitant I was calm and understanding. But as butterfly 17 I cried because I new how he felt. secord and alone. Any advice if this happens again?

Comments

Re: SEEING ANOTHER HAVE A FIT

Submitted by Spike. on Sat, 2011-12-24 - 20:35

Butterfly17, a person does not have an "epileptic fit"; a person has what's called an "epileptic seizure".

When a child is whining and crying because the parent doesn't want them to do something, like watch something else besides cartoons, or take a nap instead of playing with toys, that is when the kid is having a "fit". Or, let's say a person sees someone else flopping around on the floor like a fish out of water, points at the person, and says something like "This person needs help, they're having a fit". If there just happens to be someone else in the area, one who has epilepsy themselves and is rather knowledgeable about seizures and epilepsy, if they were to go to the individual who said "fit", slap them in the face, and clearly say, "NO!, That person is not having a fit, that person is having a SEIZURE!", then the person who slapped the other person in the face, would be having a "fit".

A seizure, is a seizure, is a seizure, is a seizure… And it doesn't hurt to say the word "seizure". Call a seizure what it is; Not what it isn't.

For the number of times your postings get displayed multiple times, once someone has completed whatever it is they want to post, and then clicks on that button labeled 'Post comment', it usually takes a while, probably 10 minutes or more, for just that one posting to be displayed in the community forum. So please, just wait a while, save maybe 10 or 15 minutes, and then check to see if your posting was added to the community forum.

Ever since I started having seizures back in February 1987, I've physically experienced simple partial seizures, complex partial seizures, and tonic clonic seizures. And, while attending an epilepsy and seizure education presentation back in November 2004, I, along with other people attending the conference, witnessed someone having a complex partial seizure; and, one time while I was eating in a restaurant, I witnessed a young boy, maybe 8 or 9 years old, having a very lite tonic clonic seizure; and, while visiting someone who was once a good friend, she had a cluster of reoccurring atonic seizures, also known as "drop attacks". So I know what it's like to have seizures, and also know what it's like to see other people having seizures.

As for some advice if you see someone having a seizure again, you now have an idea of what it's like to be on the other side. You know what it's like to physically have a seizure, and now, what it's like to see someone having a seizure. So now's a good time for you to do your homework. Learn the details, and the correct steps, on what to do, and what not to do, when someone is having a seizure. Then, if you ever do see someone having a seizure in the future, you'll know the right things to do in order to help that person. And, if there are any other people with you and the one who is having the seizure, then while you are helping the one who's having the seizure, explain to everyone else who's watching, what to do, and what not to do, when someone is having a seizure.

Bruce (I'm not a doctor, but instead, an epilepsy support group leader, epilepsy advocate, who has epilepsy.)

Butterfly17, a person does not have an "epileptic fit"; a person has what's called an "epileptic seizure".

When a child is whining and crying because the parent doesn't want them to do something, like watch something else besides cartoons, or take a nap instead of playing with toys, that is when the kid is having a "fit". Or, let's say a person sees someone else flopping around on the floor like a fish out of water, points at the person, and says something like "This person needs help, they're having a fit". If there just happens to be someone else in the area, one who has epilepsy themselves and is rather knowledgeable about seizures and epilepsy, if they were to go to the individual who said "fit", slap them in the face, and clearly say, "NO!, That person is not having a fit, that person is having a SEIZURE!", then the person who slapped the other person in the face, would be having a "fit".

A seizure, is a seizure, is a seizure, is a seizure… And it doesn't hurt to say the word "seizure". Call a seizure what it is; Not what it isn't.

For the number of times your postings get displayed multiple times, once someone has completed whatever it is they want to post, and then clicks on that button labeled 'Post comment', it usually takes a while, probably 10 minutes or more, for just that one posting to be displayed in the community forum. So please, just wait a while, save maybe 10 or 15 minutes, and then check to see if your posting was added to the community forum.

Ever since I started having seizures back in February 1987, I've physically experienced simple partial seizures, complex partial seizures, and tonic clonic seizures. And, while attending an epilepsy and seizure education presentation back in November 2004, I, along with other people attending the conference, witnessed someone having a complex partial seizure; and, one time while I was eating in a restaurant, I witnessed a young boy, maybe 8 or 9 years old, having a very lite tonic clonic seizure; and, while visiting someone who was once a good friend, she had a cluster of reoccurring atonic seizures, also known as "drop attacks". So I know what it's like to have seizures, and also know what it's like to see other people having seizures.

As for some advice if you see someone having a seizure again, you now have an idea of what it's like to be on the other side. You know what it's like to physically have a seizure, and now, what it's like to see someone having a seizure. So now's a good time for you to do your homework. Learn the details, and the correct steps, on what to do, and what not to do, when someone is having a seizure. Then, if you ever do see someone having a seizure in the future, you'll know the right things to do in order to help that person. And, if there are any other people with you and the one who is having the seizure, then while you are helping the one who's having the seizure, explain to everyone else who's watching, what to do, and what not to do, when someone is having a seizure.

Bruce (I'm not a doctor, but instead, an epilepsy support group leader, epilepsy advocate, who has epilepsy.)

Re: SEEING ANOTHER HAVE A FIT

Submitted by princesscakes on Sun, 2011-12-25 - 20:20
Spike don't take the term Having a fit to such offense . It is a old term used by many people still and prob to down play what is really happening . I watched many people have seizures as I'm a nurse and I'm amazed how different each seizure is and how each person responds . Just make the person safe and roll them on their side and treat that person how you would like to be treated after a serious event like that . Get info on seizure during and after care so you are aware of such things incase you encounter the same event and if the person is obviously injured or the seizure lasts over a minute or keeps having many seizures or breathing stops its time to call the hospital . But if the person is a stranger and you are not aware of their health condition or if they even usually have seizures you will call the paramedics anyways to go to the hospital because you don't know what is causing the seizures if you are not a care taker of the person or family member or friend . Some people wear medic alert bracelets to make people aware of health conditions such as seizures so keep a cool head and look for such clues .

Re: SEEING ANOTHER HAVE A FIT

Submitted by jade on Mon, 2012-01-23 - 00:52

My impression is, that the person who wrote this article, has epilepsy also, and found it confronting to see another person having a seizure. Words used were 'i knew how he felt'. This may just be my interpretation but thats the impression i got apon reading it. I dont use the word fit myself and am aware that it is not used these days, even the term 'epileptic' is now replaced with 'a person with epilepsy'. Same goes for other medical conditions. Not everybody is aware of this. Dont let what may seem as negative feedback put you off using this wonderfull website. I find it so helpful. Wishing you well.

My impression is, that the person who wrote this article, has epilepsy also, and found it confronting to see another person having a seizure. Words used were 'i knew how he felt'. This may just be my interpretation but thats the impression i got apon reading it. I dont use the word fit myself and am aware that it is not used these days, even the term 'epileptic' is now replaced with 'a person with epilepsy'. Same goes for other medical conditions. Not everybody is aware of this. Dont let what may seem as negative feedback put you off using this wonderfull website. I find it so helpful. Wishing you well.

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