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A calm, practical guide

Seizure First Aid

Simple actions can help keep someone safe during and after a seizure. Save or print this guide so it is ready when needed.

When to call for help

This page is not emergency care

If there is immediate danger, difficulty breathing, a prolonged seizure, or you are unsure whether someone needs urgent help, call your local emergency number. Follow an individual seizure action plan where one is available and you have been trained to do so.

What to do

Five steps to help safely

01

Stay calm and stay with them

Note the time the seizure begins. Speak calmly and remain nearby until the person has recovered.

02

Make the space safer

Move sharp or hazardous objects away. If they are on the ground, cushion their head with something soft and remove their glasses if possible.

03

Do not restrain them

Do not hold the person down or try to stop their movements. This can cause injury.

04

After the movements stop, help them recover

If they are lying down, gently turn them onto their side with their mouth facing the ground. Stay with them as they become alert again.

05

Offer reassurance

When they are fully alert, explain what happened and ask whether they would like a friend, family member, or carer contacted.

Important: after immediate safety

If it is safe to do so

Record a short video of the seizure.

Once the person is safe, you are staying with them, and recording will not delay first aid or calling for help, a video can give their clinician valuable detail that may be difficult to capture in a verbal or written description. It can help the care team understand what happened and guide the next steps in assessment and management.

Safety firstNever record instead of protecting the person, timing the seizure, or getting urgent help.
Keep it simpleRecord from a safe distance without moving, restraining, or crowding the person.
Protect privacyShare the video only with the person, their carer, or their authorised healthcare team.

Seek urgent help

Call your local emergency service if:

The seizure lasts five minutes or longer, or lasts longer than is usual for that person
Another seizure begins before the person regains consciousness
They have difficulty breathing or do not wake up as expected
They are seriously injured, or the seizure happens in water
It is the person’s first known seizure
They are pregnant, or have diabetes and lose consciousness

Local-language essentials

Core first aid in iTaukei and Fiji Hindi

Choose a language for the most important safety actions. The full English guide above remains the reference version if any wording is unclear.

Core seizure first-aid essentials

Keep the person safe, stay with them, and time the seizure.

  1. 01

    Stay calm and stay with them

    Remain nearby and note when the seizure begins.

  2. 02

    Make the area safe

    Move sharp or hazardous objects away and cushion their head if they are on the ground.

  3. 03

    Do not restrain or put anything in their mouth

    Do not try to stop their movements, and do not give food, drink, or medicine until they are fully alert.

  4. 04

    Help recovery

    When the movements stop, gently turn them onto their side and stay until they are alert.

Urgent help: Call for urgent help if the seizure lasts 5 minutes or longer, another seizure starts, breathing is difficult, there is a serious injury, or the seizure happens in water.
Video reminder: After immediate safety steps are complete, a short video may help the care team. Never record instead of giving first aid or calling for help.

Translation-review notice: These concise local-language aids are provided alongside the English source and should be reviewed by iTaukei and Fiji Hindi health-language reviewers before use in printed clinical material or community campaigns.

Sources and further learning

This page summarises publicly available guidance and is reviewed as the site develops. It does not replace individual medical advice or a personal seizure action plan.