"He gets these 'fits' every so often. The doctor told him to take his medications but he forgets.....especially when he's drinking. The only thing that bothers me is that he seems to stop breathing when he's in one of his fits."

Seizures are characterized by random shaking movements which may involve the entire body. Seizures usually last less than one minute but may recur several times.

Seizures (convulsions) can be caused by several factors:

• Epilepsy
• Trauma
• Stroke
• Insulin shock
• High fever
• Drug overdose

Patients are usually unconscious during seizures and do not remember them afterward. They may have lost bowel and/or bladder control, soiling their clothing.

After a seizure, the patient may be sleepy, confused, upset, hostile or out of touch with reality for up to an hour. You must monitor the patient's ABCs and arrange for transport to an appropriate medical facility.

Seizures often end before you arrive. If they have not ended, your treatment during a seizure consists of protecting the patient from injury. During a seizure, the head may strike the floor, and the arms and elbows may hit hard enough to produce a fracture.

To prevent these injuries, place your feet under the head to keep it from hitting the floor or ground, and hold the wrists to control the movement of the arms and protect the elbows. At no time should you actually restrain the patient's movements. If you attempt to, you may cause further injury. The patient should only be moved if he or she is in a dangerous location, such as in a busy street or close to something hard, hot or sharp. CAUTION: Do not attempt to put anything in the patient's mouth.

During a seizure, the patient generally does not breathe, and turns blue. You cannot do anything about the patient's airway during the seizure but once it has stopped, it is essential that you ensure an open airway. This is usually best accomplished with the head-tilt method. After you have opened the airway, lie the patient on his or her side so any secretions (saliva or blood from a bitten tongue) can drain out. Most patients start to breathe soon after the seizure has ended. If the patient does not resume breathing after a seizure, begin mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-mask breathing.

Most patients are confused after a seizure and may become anxious, hostile and belligerent. At this point, the patient needs privacy. Because the person is probably embarrassed about what happened and where it happened (perhaps in a public place, such as a restaurant or shopping mall), move the patient to a more comfortable, private place for 30 to 45 minutes. Do not leave the patient. Every patient who suffers a seizure should be encouraged to go to a medical facility for examination and treatment.