Good morning!! I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I usually try to take my weekends off from blogging, and spend some quality time with my family. Our lives are so busy during the week that by Saturday, we desperately need that time to touch base with each other.
This morning I was trying decide what to blog about today in regards to Epilepsy Awareness Month. There's so much that I want to accomplish with my blog, and sometimes I get overwhelmed with the topics that I could discuss. I finally decided that each day of the month that I post a blog, I will address one myth associated with epilepsy. Hopefully by doing this, I can set a few people straight.
This first myth is one that is a personal pet peeve of mine. I figure it's best to just get it out of the way now.
MYTH #1: A PERSON THAT IS HAVING A SEIZURE CAN SWALLOW THEIR TONGUE, SO YOU NEED TO PUT SOMETHING IN HIS/HER MOUTH TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
This one is not true on any level!!!!!! Do me a favor, but first look around and make sure no one is watching you. Don't worry. I'm not going to ask you to do anything inappropriate. I'm just trying to spare you some awkward looks and embarrassment.
You good? Okay.
Open your mouth and stick out your tongue. Now, life up your tongue, and feel underneath it. Feel that sliver of tissue that attaches your tongue to the bottom of your mouth? Yeah. That's little sliver of tissue keeps your tongue in your mouth. If it wasn't there, your tongue would definitely slide right down the back of your throat. That sliver of tissue doesn't just suddenly go away when you're having a seizure. It's pretty much a permanent fixture in your body. IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SWALLOW YOUR TONGUE DURING A SEIZURE, OR AT ANY OTHER MOMENT IN TIME.
Sticking something in a seizing person could hurt them badly. You could break their teeth, break their jaw, cut their tongue, or cut their mouth. It is best to just leave the mouth alone. You may start to see blood coming from their mouth, and this is most likely due to the person biting their tongue during the seizure. It is best to wait until the person is finished seizing, and clean up their face afterwards.
As always, if a person has a seizure, place them gently on the ground, and clear any objects away from them. Place the person on his/her side, and see if you can find something to cushion their head (pillow, sweater, blanket, etc.). Stay close to the person, but do not restrain him/her. This could hurt you both. Time the seizure, and talk to the person as they are seizing. Tell them your name, and that you are there to help him/her. I talk to my daughter the entire time she's seizing, and afterwards. My biggest fear is that she can hear what's going on, and she's afraid because she thinks that she's alone. Call an ambulance after the person is situated and safe.
After the seizure when the person wakes up, the person is going to be confused. Hopefully medical personnel have arrived by that point, but if they haven't, keep the person laying down until they do. Once they get there, they'll take over.
See you guys tomorrow!!
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