Epilepsy causes repeated seizures, triggered by sudden bursts of electrical activity that briefly disrupt the brain's normal signals. Seizures range enormously in how they present - from a fleeting moment of blank staring to the more familiar convulsive seizures involving shaking and a loss of consciousness.
If someone nearby has a convulsive seizure: stay with them, cushion their head with something soft, clear away anything they might knock into, and time how long it lasts. Don't try to hold them still or put anything in their mouth. Dial 999 if it runs past five minutes, another seizure starts right after, they're injured, or you don't know for certain it's epilepsy. Once it stops, roll them onto their side and stay close until they've come round properly.
Common questions
What should you do if someone next to you has a convulsive seizure?
Stay close, cushion their head, clear away anything nearby that could hurt them, and keep track of how long it lasts. Never hold them down or put anything in their mouth.
When does a seizure need a 999 call?
If it goes on for more than five minutes, another seizure follows straight after, the person is hurt, or you are unsure whether it is epilepsy at all.