By LEADNG | Health Education Writer
Last updated: 15 October 2026
Imagine you are walking along a busy road, sitting in a classroom or working in a shop when someone suddenly falls to the ground. Their body becomes stiff, their arms and legs begin to jerk, and they appear unable to respond to people around them.
People nearby may panic. Someone might try to hold the person down, while another person rushes to find a spoon or water to put into their mouth.
But what should you actually do?
A seizure can be frightening to witness, particularly when you have never seen one before. However, knowing the correct first-aid steps can help protect the person from injury and help you recognise when emergency medical attention is needed.
A seizure is a temporary episode caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It can affect movement, awareness, behaviour or sensation. Some seizures involve noticeable shaking, while others cause brief staring, confusion or unusual movements without a dramatic fall.
One important distinction is that having a seizure does not automatically mean someone has epilepsy. Seizures can have different causes, and medical assessment is needed to determine what happened.
Understanding what to do—and what to avoid—can make a meaningful difference when someone needs help.
What should you do when someone has a seizure?
The immediate priorities are to keep the person safe, stay with them and monitor how long the seizure lasts.
1. Stay calm and remain with the person
Although a seizure can look alarming, try not to panic.
Stay close to the person and ask someone nearby to help if necessary. Your presence allows you to observe what is happening, protect the person from nearby hazards and seek assistance if the situation becomes an emergency.
Do not shout at the person, shake them or assume that they are deliberately behaving that way. During some seizures, a person temporarily loses awareness and cannot respond normally.
Speak calmly and reassuringly, even if they cannot answer you.
2. Move dangerous objects away
If the person falls, help them reach the ground safely if you can do so without putting yourself at risk.
Move sharp objects, furniture, hot liquids and other hazards away from them. If they are close to traffic, fire or another immediate danger, take reasonable steps to protect them.
Place something soft and flat, such as a folded jacket, under their head if possible.
Loosen tight clothing around the neck if it is restricting them, and remove glasses if you can do so safely.
Do not hold their arms or legs down to stop the shaking. Restraining someone during a seizure can cause additional injury and will not stop the seizure itself.
3. Time the seizure
Check the time when the seizure begins and note when the active shaking or other seizure activity ends.
A seizure may feel much longer to witnesses than it actually is. Timing it helps you provide useful information to healthcare professionals and recognise when urgent help is necessary.
If the seizure lasts five minutes or longer, seek emergency medical assistance immediately.
If another seizure starts before the person regains consciousness, that is also an emergency.
4. Never put anything into the person's mouth
This is one of the most important rules of seizure first aid.
Do not put a spoon, cloth, stick, finger, water, food or medicine into the person's mouth.
A person cannot swallow their tongue. Trying to prevent this can damage their teeth or jaw, cause choking or injure the person providing assistance.
Do not force water or oral medication on someone who is unconscious, confused or unable to swallow safely.
If the person has prescribed emergency seizure medication, it should only be administered according to their care plan by someone who knows how to use it safely.
5. Help the person recover after the seizure
When the shaking or other active seizure movements have stopped, check whether the person is breathing normally and becoming responsive.
If they remain unconscious but are breathing normally, gently place them on their side when it is safe to do so. This recovery position can help keep saliva or vomit from obstructing their airway.
Stay with them and speak calmly as they recover. They may feel exhausted, confused, frightened or embarrassed, and they might not remember what happened.
Do not immediately give them food, drink or tablets. Wait until they are fully alert and can swallow safely.
If the person is not breathing normally, call emergency services immediately and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Start CPR if indicated and you are able, or follow the instructions provided by the dispatcher.
These first-aid measures are consistent with guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the NHS.
A realistic example: When people do not know what to do
Imagine a 24-year-old apprentice mechanic in Ibadan who suddenly collapses while working in a workshop.
His colleagues notice that his body becomes stiff and his arms and legs begin jerking. One person suggests putting a spoon into his mouth, while another tries to hold his arms to prevent him from moving.
A third colleague remembers basic seizure first aid. He asks everyone to move nearby tools away, protects the apprentice's head with a folded piece of clothing and checks the time. Nobody puts anything into the apprentice's mouth or tries to restrain him.
When the seizure stops, they check his breathing, stay beside him and help him recover safely. Because this is his first known seizure, they arrange urgent medical assessment rather than assuming the episode was harmless.
This is an illustrative example, not a report of a real patient or a medical diagnosis.
The lesson is simple: you do not need to know the exact cause of a seizure before you can provide safer first aid. You need to know how to reduce the risk of injury, what not to do and when to seek professional help.
When should you seek emergency medical help?
Not every seizure in someone with diagnosed epilepsy requires an ambulance. Some people have an individual care plan that explains how to respond to their usual seizures.
However, emergency medical assistance is necessary in important situations.
Seek emergency help if:
It is the person's first known seizure. They need medical assessment to investigate the cause.
The seizure lasts five minutes or longer. Prolonged seizure activity can be dangerous.
Another seizure begins before the person recovers. Repeated seizures without recovery can indicate a medical emergency.
The person has difficulty breathing or does not regain consciousness as expected.
They suffer a serious injury, such as a significant head injury, during the episode.
The seizure happens in water.
The person is pregnant or has diabetes and loses consciousness.
Do not delay emergency care while waiting for every possible symptom to appear.
If someone has a seizure and then develops severe confusion, unusual drowsiness or other rapidly worsening symptoms, seek urgent medical attention.
For a person with known epilepsy, follow their seizure action plan if one exists. If you have not been trained to administer prescribed rescue medication, seek help from someone who has been trained or follow emergency-service instructions.
What causes a seizure?
Seizures can occur for different reasons, and the cause is not always immediately obvious.
Possible causes include epilepsy, certain brain infections, head injuries, stroke, problems affecting blood glucose or other body chemicals, and some forms of poisoning.
In children, seizures can sometimes occur alongside a fever. A seizure associated with fever still needs appropriate assessment, particularly if it is the child's first episode or has emergency warning signs.
A seizure can also occur in someone who has never previously experienced one. This is why it is unsafe to assume that a person has epilepsy simply because they have had a seizure.
A healthcare professional will consider the person's medical history, what witnesses observed, the circumstances surrounding the episode and any necessary tests before determining the likely cause.
For further information about epilepsy, its causes and treatment, see the World Health Organization's epilepsy fact sheet.
Dangerous myths about seizures you should stop believing
Misunderstandings can lead to harmful reactions when someone needs help.
Myth 1: A person can swallow their tongue during a seizure.
The person cannot swallow their tongue. Putting objects or fingers into their mouth can cause injuries and choking.
Myth 2: Holding the person down will stop the seizure.
Restraint does not stop seizure activity and may cause additional harm. Clear the surrounding area instead.
Myth 3: Every person who has a seizure has epilepsy.
A seizure can have different causes. One episode does not automatically establish an epilepsy diagnosis.
Myth 4: Epilepsy is contagious.
Epilepsy is not an infectious disease and cannot be caught through touching, sitting beside or helping someone who has it.
Myth 5: Someone who has recovered from a seizure does not need medical attention.
A person may appear better after an episode but still need assessment, particularly if it was their first seizure, they were injured or they have other concerning symptoms.
People living with epilepsy deserve the same dignity and respect as everyone else. Stigma and discrimination can discourage people from seeking care and support.
Can seizures be treated?
Yes. Treatment depends on the cause of the seizure.
For people diagnosed with epilepsy, antiseizure medicines can control seizures, and other treatments may be suitable for some individuals. The WHO estimates that up to 70% of people living with epilepsy could become seizure-free with appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Taking prescribed medication consistently and attending follow-up appointments can help people manage the condition.
However, someone should not start, stop or change antiseizure medication without discussing it with their healthcare professional.
If you witness a first seizure, do not try to choose a medicine for the person or assume that treatment for epilepsy is automatically required. The priority is medical assessment to establish what happened and determine the appropriate next steps.
A simple checklist: What to remember during a seizure
Keep these steps in mind if you ever witness a seizure:
Do not delay emergency assistance to complete this checklist.
Final thoughts
Seeing someone have a seizure can be frightening, but the right response does not have to be complicated.
Stay with the person, protect them from nearby hazards, time the seizure and help them recover safely afterwards. Never hold them down or put objects, food, water or medication into their mouth.
Remember that a seizure is an event, not a diagnosis. The cause needs to be assessed, and people who experience seizures should receive appropriate care without stigma or discrimination.
If someone collapsed and began shaking in front of you today, would you know what to do—and what not to do? Learning these first-aid steps before an emergency happens can help you respond more confidently when someone needs assistance.
Medical disclaimer
This article is for general health education only. It does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If someone experiences a first seizure, prolonged seizure activity, repeated seizures without recovery, breathing difficulties or serious injury, seek emergency medical assistance. Do not start, stop or change prescribed medication based solely on this article.
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