What To Do
What To Do If Someone Has a Seizure in Front of You
Key Takeaway: If someone has a seizure in front of you, stay calm, protect them from injury, and check breathing as soon as the seizure stops. Do not hold them down and do not put anything in the mouth. If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, or they are not breathing normally afterwards, call 000.
The hardest part is often the shock of suddenly seeing it happen. A clear first aid sequence helps you act instead of freezing.
🚨 Quick Action Guide
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Person suddenly drops or starts shaking | Stay calm, move hazards away, protect the head, time the seizure |
| Seizure continues | Do not restrain them and do not put anything in the mouth |
| Seizure stops and they are breathing | Recovery position if safe, keep airway clear, monitor closely |
| Not breathing normally afterwards | Call 000 and start CPR if needed |
| Seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, first seizure, injury, pregnancy, diabetes, or you are unsure | Call 000 immediately |
Table of Contents
👀 What To Do Immediately
1. Stay calm and look at breathing and danger first
It can be shocking to suddenly see someone collapse or start shaking. Take one breath and focus on what matters: are they safe from injury, and what happens with breathing once the seizure stops?
2. Move hazards away and protect the head
Move away chairs, bags, sharp objects, hot drinks, or anything else they could hit. Place something soft under the head, like a folded jacket, if you can do so safely.
3. Do not hold them down
Healthdirect’s seizure advice is clear: protect the person from injury, but do not restrain them and do not put anything in the mouth.
4. Time the seizure
If the seizure keeps going, timing helps you decide when it has become more urgent.
5. When the seizure stops, check breathing immediately
If they are breathing, place them in the recovery position if safe to do so. If they are not breathing normally, follow DRSABCD, call 000, and start CPR if needed.
📞 When to Call 000
Call 000 immediately if:
- The seizure lasts more than 5 minutes
- Another seizure starts before they recover
- It is their first known seizure
- They are not breathing normally afterwards
- They are injured
- They are pregnant or have diabetes
- You are unsure what is happening
This is very similar to what to do if someone has a seizure in public, but this version is about the personal bystander moment when the seizure happens right in front of you and you have to react quickly.
🧠 Why This Can Feel Hard in the Moment
When a seizure happens in front of you, the first problem is usually not a lack of information. It is the suddenness of it.
People often freeze because they are trying to work out what caused it, whether the person is choking, or whether they should hold them still. Better Health Channel’s epilepsy first aid guidance helps cut through that: protect from injury, do not restrain, and check breathing once the seizure ends.
If this is the first time you have ever seen a seizure, that reaction is normal. A simple sequence is what gets you moving: make the area safe, protect the head, time the seizure, and then focus on breathing.
🫁 After the Seizure Stops
Roll onto the side if safe and keep the airway clear
If they are breathing, use a side-lying recovery position if possible. Stay with them and keep watching breathing and colour.
Stay with them while they recover
People are often confused, tired, or embarrassed after a seizure. Keep the space calm and give simple reassurance.
Do not rush them up too quickly
Let them recover properly before trying to sit or stand. A person who has just had a seizure may still be disoriented even if the shaking has stopped.
❌ What Not To Do
Do not hold them down.
Do not put anything in the mouth.
Do not crowd around them.
Do not try to force them upright the moment the seizure stops.
Do not forget to check breathing afterwards.
🎓 Why First Aid Training Matters
If someone has a seizure right in front of you, there is rarely time to look up what to do. In a HLTAID011 Provide First Aid course, you learn how to respond to seizures, unconscious casualties, breathing emergencies, and recovery-position care. That kind of first aid training helps you recognise what matters first and act calmly when the moment is sudden and confronting.
Need A First Aid Course?
FAQs
What should I do first if someone suddenly has a seizure in front of me?
Do I call an ambulance straight away for every seizure?
Should I put something in their mouth to stop them biting their tongue?
What if they seem asleep or very confused after the seizure?
Quick Summary
If someone has a seizure in front of you:
• Stay calm
• Move hazards away
• Protect the head
• Do not restrain them
• Do not put anything in the mouth
• Time the seizure
• When it stops, check breathing immediately
• Call 000 if it lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, or you are unsure
A calm response and a breathing-first mindset are what help most.
