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First Aid for Tonic Clonic Seizures

July 4, 2012

In all types of seizures, the goal is to protect the person from harm until full awareness returns. If you are living with or caring for someone with a seizure disorder who has other medical problems, check with the doctor about how to respond when a seizure happens. Find out whether the doctor wants to be notified every time or just in certain circumstances. Ask whether or when you should call an ambulance and if there are any special warning signals that you should looking for. Also note the general rule:

The less done to a person during a relatively brief seizure, the better.

For tonic clonic seizures:

  1. If necessary, ease the person to the floor.
  2. Loosen any tight neckwear.
  3. Protect the person’s head and body from injury.
  4. Do not restrain the person.
  5. Do not insert anything between the teeth.
  6. If the person starts to bleed from the mouth, do not panic. S/he has probably bitten the tongue.
  7. Once relaxed, turn the person onto the side to ensure an open air passage and decrease risk of aspiration (inhalation of fluids or objects into the lungs, often after vomiting).
  8. After the seizure, let the person sleep if needed.
  9. Suggest that s/he see a physician.
  10. If the person has a second seizure within a few minutes, call a doctor or ambulance.

For Persons in Wheelchairs

During the seizure:

  • Keep calm and let the seizure run its course.
  • Hold up the wheelchair and ensure the brakes are on to protect him/her from injury.
  • Do not put anything in the person’s mouth.
  • Remove anything from the area that may cause injury or could be a hazard to someone who is temporarily unaware of their location or actions.

After the seizure:

  • Set the wheelchair to a partial recline position, not full recline.
  • Gently turn the person’s head to the side to let the saliva flow out of the mouth.
  • Let the person rest or sleep if needed.
  • Be reassuring, comforting and calm as awareness returns.

Purple Day gets national recognition

June 28, 2012

The Purple Day Act has received Royal Assent! March 26 is now an official day of epilepsy awareness across Canada.

Cassidy Megan’s dream may soon become reality. Ever since she founded the first Purple Day on March 26, 2008, the now 13-year-old from Nova Scotia has envisioned an international day of epilepsy awareness.

Purple Day, which takes its name from the globally acknowledged colour for epilepsy – lavender, is meant to start discussions about the disorder. By educating the public and empowering the epilepsy community, March 26 is meant to help fight the stigma attached to seizure disorders.

Four years later, the Purple Day Act (Bill C-278) successfully passed through parliamentary readings and received the Senate Royal Assent on June 28 at 2 p.m. For a glimpse into the scene of the action in Halifax, see the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance’s press release in French or English.

Posted: June 28, 2012
Writer: Veronica Tang

New Location and Contact Information

June 28, 2012

Epilepsy Ontario has moved!

If you wish to get in touch with us,  you can reach us:

Location: 
3100 Steeles Avenue East
Suite 803
Markham, ON L3R 8T3
Canada
Phone: 905-474-9696
1-800-463-1119 (toll free in Ontario)

Fax: 905-474-3663

Thank you for your patience as we go through our move!

Advocate puts a face to the need for epilepsy strategy

June 28, 2012

Given the high number of Ontarians living with epilepsy, there needs to be an effective action plan to support the quality of life of people affected by the neurological disorder, says Miranda Zeppieri.

Zeppieri, 28, knows this first-hand — she has had a seizure disorder caused by tuberous sclerosis her whole life, and this is why she’s supporting the province’s proposed epilepsy strategy.

As part of the strategy, which was designed by an expert panel, epilepsy care centres with state-of-the-art equipment would be established provincewide and would serve as primary access points for people with epilepsy. Through these facilities, patients would have access to epileptologists, psychologists and social workers. The sites would be equipped with the latest in epilepsy monitoring and imaging equipment.

In short, Zeppieri says the establishment of these care centres throughout the province would provide people living with seizure disorders quicker access to the supports and medical attention they need.

To put Zeppieri’s situation into perspective, she has had to travel the 130-km distance from her home in Peterborough to Toronto throughout her life to receive certain medical treatment and supports.

Having a care centre in the Peterborough area would alleviate that issue and enhance her life quality, she says, adding that accessibility is especially important given that one in 100 Ontarians is living with epilepsy.

“Those who are currently living with this issue are forced to do so without any supports, including something to assist with their quality of life,” says Zeppieri.

“Epilepsy is a very serious neurological disorder that needs to be recognized by the Canadian government as quickly as possible in order to give those affected a fighting opportunity.”

Zeppieri adds that by adopting the proposed epilepsy strategy today, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care would be taking action proactively by stemming issues related to providing needed interventions in the long-run.

For the past 11 years, Zeppieri has been involved with the epilepsy community, advocating for herself and others affected by the disorder, largely because Peterborough is a fairly small centre with relatively few people around who shared her experiences with epilepsy.

One place Zeppieri says she could find some of the help she needed was through her local epilepsy support agency. However, without a provincial strategy in place, she fears some of these agencies could eventually cease to exist.

“Right now we’re fundraising just to keep the doors open,” she says, adding that with a sustainable provincial epilepsy strategy the funding would help keep the centres open and fundraising proceeds could be directed at other areas.

To become involved, please contact OHTAC at OHTAC_Comments(at)hqontario.ca to share your thoughts about the need for a provincial epilepsy strategy.

If you have feedback on this story, please call the newsroom at 800-294-0051, ext. 23, or e-mail deron(at)axiomnews.ca.

Writer: Deron Hamel