NNHC Resource Center
Epilepsy & Seizure Support Resources
Practical resources for individuals, families, and caregivers supporting someone with epilepsy or a seizure disorder, including seizure first aid, rescue-plan preparation, medication routines, safety, documentation, and when emergency help is needed.
Know When a Seizure Is an Emergency
Follow the individual’s seizure action plan whenever one is available. Call 911 if a seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, another seizure begins soon after the first, the person has trouble breathing or waking afterward, is injured, the seizure occurs in water, or it is the person’s first known seizure. Other situations may also require emergency help based on the person’s prescribed plan.
Seizure First Aid: Stay, Safe, Side
General seizure first aid focuses on protecting the person from injury and allowing the seizure to run its course safely.
Stay & Time the Seizure
Remain with the person, stay calm, note when the seizure starts, and observe what happens so accurate information can be shared with the care team.
Keep the Person Safe
Move dangerous objects away, cushion the head if needed, loosen restrictive clothing around the neck, and do not restrain the person’s movements.
Turn to the Side When Appropriate
If the person is lying down, gently turn them onto their side when possible to help keep the airway clear. Do not put anything in the person’s mouth.
Create a Seizure Action Plan
A written plan helps family members, school staff, direct-care workers, and nurses respond consistently.
Know the Usual Seizure Pattern
Document the person’s seizure types, typical duration, warning signs or aura, recovery pattern, common triggers, and what is unusual for that person.
Define Emergency Thresholds
The plan should state when to call 911, when to contact the neurologist or caregiver, and what changes require urgent evaluation.
Keep the Plan Accessible
Store a current copy where caregivers can find it quickly and provide updated copies to school, work, respite, or home-care teams as appropriate.
Rescue Medication & Device Plans
Some people have prescribed rescue medicines or implanted devices such as a vagus nerve stimulator. These must be used exactly as prescribed and only by people who are trained and authorized to use them.
Keep the written order or seizure action plan current. It should identify the medication or device, when it is used, the dose or device instructions, when a second dose may be given if prescribed, required monitoring, and when emergency services should be activated. Do not improvise dosing or use someone else’s rescue medication.
Daily Safety & Prevention
Seizure control and safety plans are individualized, but several practical habits can make daily care more organized.
Take Medicines on Schedule
Use the prescribed medication schedule and contact the treating clinician or pharmacist about missed doses, side effects, vomiting, or difficulty taking medications.
Track Seizures & Possible Triggers
A seizure log can help record date, time, duration, symptoms, recovery, missed medication, illness, sleep changes, and other relevant circumstances.
Plan for Higher-Risk Activities
Bathing, swimming, heights, cooking, driving, and certain work or recreation may require individualized precautions based on seizure control and clinical advice.
Caregiver Handoff Information
For anyone providing respite, home care, school support, or private-duty nursing, a concise handoff reduces avoidable errors.
Include: seizure types and baseline frequency; current antiseizure medicines; allergies; prescribed rescue medicine or VNS instructions; seizure action plan; emergency thresholds; neurologist and caregiver contacts; preferred recovery position; aspiration or feeding precautions if applicable; and what the person normally looks like during the post-seizure recovery period.
Keep this information secure because it may contain protected health information, and share it only with people involved in the person’s care.
How NNHC Can Help
For individuals whose seizure disorders are part of a more complex home-care plan, NNHC can discuss respite, skilled nursing, private-duty nursing, medication administration under authorized orders, enteral support, aspiration precautions, and other services appropriate to the individual plan of care and payer authorization.
Resource notice: This page is educational and does not replace the person’s neurologist, seizure action plan, emergency instructions, or medication orders. Rescue medicines and devices require individualized orders and training. Resource links reviewed September 18, 2026.