Keeping Safe When You Have Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a serious neurological condition that can affect many people at any age at any moment in life. Epilepsy affects around 1 in every 100 people in the UK and every day 87 people are diagnosed with it.

Most children and young people with Epilepsy can still enjoy and take part in their day-to-day activities, but if their seizures are not in control fully, they will need some extra safety measures to protect them from harm. Secure Healthcare Solutions has many emergency rescue medication-trained staff who deal with epilepsy service users on a daily basis and can help you or your family!

Tips on keeping children and young people safe that have epilepsy:

• Swimming- Always have a lifeguard poolside, and a responsible adult to watch over the individual who has epilepsy
• Heights- Not having the individual who has epilepsy stand more than twice their standing height without having a responsible individual having close supervision
• Alcohol- Drinking can have a major effect on your epilepsy and risk of seizures.
• Drugs- Drugs can trigger seizures, so explaining to children and young adults that they are at high risk of having more seizures when abusing drugs

The use of guards on your heaters and radiators to stop you from falling on them directly and installing smoke detectors to let you know that your food is burning if you were to forget what you are doing in the case of your seizure, it has affected where you can lose your awareness.

Covering your furniture edges that are sharp or stick out, in case of a seizure and you have a fall will protect you from any injuries that can be caused.

Do not lock the bathroom door, in case of a seizure and you are in the bathroom, the access will be easier for the responsible individual to come in and support you in case of an emergency.

Place your saucepans on the back of the stove and not the front with the handles turned away from the edge of the cooker.

Most individuals with epilepsy can take part in sports and other leisure activities but there will be some precautions you might need to take if your seizures are not well controlled. For example, avoid doing water sports on your own such as swimming, wearing a helmet when you are riding a bike, and avoiding certain types of gym equipment, For stuff like this, you can ask the gym staff for advice.

If you are driving or hold a driving license, you must tell the DVLA if you have a seizure. Your license may be taken away if your seizures aren’t under control. When you can reapply for a license depends on the type of seizure you had. For example, for individuals who have seizures it has caused them to lose consciousness, you won’t be able to reapply until they have not had any seizures for a minimum of a year.

Epilepsy does not affect your ability to have children and there’s no reason why you won’t be able to have a healthy pregnancy. If you have epilepsy and are planning on having a baby, make sure you discuss this with your doctor first.

Secure Healthcare Solutions offers support to individuals who have epilepsy and many other complex needs. To find out more click on our link below to see what and how we can support

https://securehealthcaresolutions.co.uk/care-at-home/complex-specialist-care-service/