If you see someone having a seizure or fit, there are some simple things you can do to help.
It might be scary to witness, but do not panic.
If you're with someone having a seizure:
If the person is in a wheelchair, put the brakes on and leave any seatbelt or harness on. Support them gently and cushion their head, but do not try to move them.
Do not put anything in their mouth, including your fingers. They should not have any food or drink until they have fully recovered.
Call 999 and ask for an ambulance if:
People with epilepsy do not always need an ambulance or to go to hospital every time they have a seizure.
They usually have a care plan agreed with doctors and their family or carers that says what to do when they have a seizure, such as giving emergency medicine. If you know what to do and have been trained then you can follow their care plan.
Some people with epilepsy wear a special bracelet or carry a card to let medical professionals and anyone witnessing a seizure know they have epilepsy.
Epilepsy Action has more information about seizures that last longer than 5 minutes.
If you see someone having a seizure, you may notice things that could be useful for the person or their doctor to know:
You can watch healthtalk.org videos of people talking about having epileptic seizures.
If you have epilepsy, it can be helpful to record the details of your seizures in a diary.
Read more about seizure diaries and download one for free from: