What to Do When You See Someone Having a Seizure

The Doctors share some life-saving dos and don’ts if you see someone experiencing a seizure.

About The Doctors:

The Doctors is an Emmy award-winning daytime talk show hosted by ER physician Dr. Travis Stork, plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon and OB-GYN Dr. Nita Landry.

The Doctors helps you understand the latest health headlines, such as the ice bucket challenge for ALS and the Ebola outbreak; delivers exclusive interviews with celebrities dealing with health issues, such as Lamar Odom, Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham, reality stars Honey Boo Boo and Mama June, and activist Chaz Bono; brings you debates about health and safety claims from agricultural company Monsanto and celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy; and shows you the latest gross viral videos and explains how you can avoid an emergency situation. The Doctors also features the News in 2:00 digest of the latest celebrity health news and The Doctors’ Prescription for simple steps to get active, combat stress, eat better and live healthier.

Now in its eighth season, The Doctors celebrity guests have included Academy Award Winners Sally Field, Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda, Marcia Gay Harden, Kathy Bates and Marisa Tomei; reality stars from Teen Mom and The Real Housewives, as well as Kris Jenner, Caitlyn Jenner, Melissa Rivers, Sharon Osbourne, Tim Gunn and Amber Rose; actors Jessica Alba, Christina Applegate, Julie Bowen, Patricia Heaton, Chevy Chase, Kristin Davis, Lou Ferrigno, Harrison Ford, Grace Gealey, Cedric the Entertainer, Valerie Harper, Debra Messing, Chris O’Donnell, Betty White, Linda Gray, Fran Drescher, Emmy Rossum, Roseanne Barr, Valerie Bertinelli, Suzanne Somers; athletes Magic Johnson, Apolo Ohno and Danica Patrick; musicians Tim McGraw, Justin Bieber, Clint Black, LL Cool J, Nick Carter, Kristin Chenoweth, Paula Abdul, Gloria Gaynor, La Toya Jackson, Barry Manilow, Bret Michaels, Gene Simmons and Jordin Sparks; and celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Guy Fieri and Curtis Stone.

[alexgirard]

My mom just had her first seizure and it was the scariest moment of my life not knowing and being able to help her but thank god that she got help

[cherryblossoms]

witnessed a young girl having seizure today. felt so helpless :(

[emmakotz]

Thank you so much for sharing this "what to do" advice 🙏 as someone with Epilepsy (meaning I'm prone to seizures), people always freak out and never know what to do or are like "omg Emma what if you seize RIGHT NOW?!" and I just run them through a few simple steps (all of which you covered in the video) and I usually hug them or pat them on the back and tell them I'll be okay in the end.

[steverossini]

Epileptic here. I am absolutely ASTONISHED AND HORRIFIED at how many people still think putting something in the mouth during a seizure is the right thing to do. 🤪

[Hey_its_Koda]

Had a incident where a customer had seizure. Freaked out. She fell and hit her head. Bleeding happen. She turned blue. She later regained herself and finally paramedic showed up.

[HellaQuinn]

An epileptic here as well. Our county EMTs are brutal unfortunately. It got so scary I had to tell people why NEVER to call 911 ever unless absolutely 1000 percent necessary. They were always so damn mean to me and always started attacking me before I could even snap out of the catatonic State. They'd call the POLICE ignoring family members and my own medical records and bracelets and tried accusing me of overdose or being on drugs. I can't tell just how many times they made me choke by putting that strap IN my mouth or 'restrained me to the point I was actually injured due to their rough handling. It had become so ridiculous my own boss refused to call 911 because they treated me worse and worse every time, ignoring witnesses, my boss, family, coworkers, etc. There's only 2 times where I was treated like a human being and not basically beaten, threatened or other nonsense that emts should know damn well better than to do what some do. I feel for any fellow sufferers of this type of crap that comes with epilepsy

[jadagoshorn]

MY BOYFRIEND IS LITERALLY HAVING A SEIZURE AND I HAD TO WATCH 2 ADS!!!! GET TO THE POINT!!

[probablygrady]

this video should not be allowed to have an ad

[jennic]

Epileptic here, I feel I must make a point about the spoon in mouth thing. But nothing in mouth isnt ideal either!
During seizures, with nothing in my mouth I have chipped broken and cracked lots of teeth simply through snapping or grinding my teeth.
But something that's not rigid, like the corner of a paperback book, corner of blanket, towel or flannel is great! It prevents damage to teeth and soft enough that you won't bite through it like you would with a ruler
Etc.

[jessirhodes]

i watched someone have a seizure today his face turned white and his lips turned blue and blood was coming out of his mouth it was only his third seizure he’s ever had and we didn’t really know what to do, we lifted him up he was still twitching and blood came out of his mouth for a while but we wiped it up and he threw up, we called 911 and his dad, we set him in a chair and he’s okay now

[jchastain]

This happen to me last night in the middle of the night to my girl. I was so fuckin scared I didnt know what to do

[cynx]

I love having a double 10 second non skipable when my uncle is having a seizure

[delaniedobish]

I used to have seizures for a while and when i had my first one i didn't know that i went into one and i was at work when i happened and i woke up on the ground not even knowing that i went into one and someone luckily found me and go me help i ended up in the hospital i was scared to death that i was going to end up like my cousin cause my cousin has them and can't drive at all and i feel sorry for her.

[naludragneel]

This just happened to my fiancé brother today. We both went into work with no problem and 45mins later he had a seizure. I just rushed him home.

[Lynnmama]

Just news my 16 year old healthy grandson took a seizure they said he turned purple n wasn’t breathing n had to call 911 he’s fine now I guess he missed 1day of his medication this is so scary I wasn’t there but pray he don’t have any at work

[nianbeast]

My son had head down every half an hour for 2 to 5 second. Is it seizure. He has taken sabril vigabatrin medicine. Is it safe

[sophiepalmer-doran]

i have absence seizures. I was diagnosed at the age of 5 but have been seizure free since the age of thirteen and so was taken of meds which caused massive weight gain a hand tremor and memory loss. The point is meds are good up until a point an then it becomes a pill no pun intended. my triggers are flashing lights, specifically the transition from the out doors to inside a classroom getting too hot and recently sleep deprivation. my parents were told to treat me as a normal child and to see how fare I would develop and look at me now I have graduated high school with honors though I did hope for a regents diploma but after taking the algebra common core regent seven times starting out with a 40 and ending up with a 57. I am in collage as you can infer I was not expected to do much of what I just mentioned
in 2017 my father died, it seems I have had a relapse if that is possible. I still have my absence seizure but it is not enough to put me on meds . When I was thirteen I had EEG and my seizures showed up as misfired neurons and the Dr. called them "flurries" so here is what my flurries are typically like I will become very spacey i cannot interact with my surroundings I also felt locked in to place. I am completely aware my vision becomes like a tunnel and thing start to move or vibrate on there own for me an absent seizure lasts one-second with is rare but these flurries can last 5-10 minutes.

[hi-lovibezz]

My 5 year old brother had a seizure yesterday I kinda saw his eyes the were a little small but hard to tell cause they were going up to the back of his head his face was white and blue it was scary I’ve had an hour of sleep checking on him every now and again we are all pretty healthy in my family so to see our five tear old to collapse and start seizing up was a little messed up

[lizmontgomery]

my friend had 2 seizures within one week and the doctors have no diagnosis. she was previously healthy as well. anyone gone through something similar? i’m terrified

[Rrrrrskkrrr]

I'm 14. I saw my sister having a seizure, she looked like she was possessed I screamed for help