November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month!

#NEAM2019 - #StaySafeSide - It's seizure first aid!

The Problem

Epilepsy can affect anyone with a brain.

Each year 150,000 more people are diagnosed with epilepsy.

Over a lifetime, one in 10 people will have a seizure, and one in 26 will develop epilepsy.

It is critical that everyone know what to do if they see someone having a seizure so that people with epilepsy are safer and protected. ~ Phil Gattone, 2019 president & CEO, Epilepsy Foundation

#StaySafeSide highlights how easy it is to help someone having a seizure.

This year during National Epilepsy Awareness Month (NEAM), the Epilepsy Foundation is rolling out #StaySafeSide, a nationwide effort to highlight the importance of recognizing a seizure and promote seizure first aid. The Foundation is also expanding a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) focused on seizure first aid to include two new markets — Tampa and Los Angeles, in addition to Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia. The #StaySafeSide PSAs are part of the Epilepsy Foundation’s five-year cooperative agreement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are designed to help improve the general public’s awareness about seizure recognition and first aid.

How You Can Help

Use your public platform and talents.

Educate Others about Seizure First Aid

Show others how to take care of someone having a seizure. Seizure First Aid is simple - Three Ss: Stay, Safe, Side.

STAY with the person and start timing the seizure. Remain calm and check for medical ID. Keep the person SAFE. Move or guide away from harmful objects. Turn the person onto their SIDE if they are not awake and aware. Don’t block airway, put something small and soft under the head, loosen tight clothes around neck. Do NOT put anything in their mouth. Don’t give water, pills or food until the person is awake. Do NOT restrain. STAY with them until they are awake and alert after the seizure. Most seizures end in a few minutes.

When to Call 911

Seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes

Repeated seizures

Difficulty breathing

Seizure occurs in water

Person is injured, pregnant, or sick

Person does not return to their usual state

First time seizure

Join our Facebook Live on November 6, 2019

Facebook Live @EpilepsyFoundationofAmerica: Stay Safe Side and More Seizure First Aid on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. ET

Share the Video

Share these Seizure First Aid Posters

Training and Education Programs

These training and education programs cover seizure recognition and first aid:

Check out more videos on seizure first aid.

Here is a collection of resources for Schools and Seizure Preparedness.

Encourage Others to Take Action

Challenge your friends to teach their friends about seizure first aid. Use the hashtags in your social media posts:

#StaySafeSide

#NEAM2019

#ShareMySeizure

Like @EpilepsyFoundationofAmerica on Facebook

Follow @EpilepsyFdn on Twitter

Follow @EpilepsyFdn on Instagram

Previous National Epilepsy Awareness Months

The Epilepsy Foundation has celebrated National Epilepsy Awareness Month since 1969. In 2003, Congress passed a formal resolution declaring November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month.