Seizure Education Training

for School Staff

Seizure Education for school personnel

•HB 684, Sam’s Law, was signed into effect 9/1/19

• It requires all Texas public school personnel with regular contact with students to be trained in seizure recognition and first aid.

WHAT IS EPILEPSY?

• A C H R O NIC N E U R OLOG ICA L D I S O R DE R L E A D I N G TO R E C U R R ENT, U N PR O VO KE D S EIZ UR ES

• E L E C T RI CA L S IG NAL S O F T H E B R A I N M I S F IR E

• C O N D IT ION W I T H A W I D E R A N G E O F S E I Z U RE T Y PE S A N D VA R Y F R O M PE R S O N TO PE R S O N

• 4 T H M O S T C O M M O N N E U R O LOG ICA L D I S O R D ER

• S E I Z U RE D I S O R D ER/D ISE AS E I S A S Y M PTO M

WHAT IS A SEIZURE?

• A SEIZURE IS A SUDDEN SURGE OF ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN THE BRAIN.

• A SEIZURE USUALLY AFFECTS HOW A PERSON APPEARS OR ACTS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME

• AFFECTS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES

• VARY IN SEVERITY, FREQUENCY, DURATION AND APPEARANCE

• DIAGNOSED BY A DOCTOR AFTER TESTING

WHAT CAUSES A SEIZURE?• MOST SEIZURES ARE CAUSED BY ABNORMAL

ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN THE BRAIN

• SOME SEIZURES ARE CAUSED BY MEDICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS-

• HIGH FEVER

• LOW BLOOD SUGAR

• HEAD INJURY

• INFECTION

• FAINTING OR ANYTHING CAUSING DECREASE IN BLOOD FLOW OR OXYGEN TO BRAIN

WHAT A SEIZURE IS NOT!• IT IS NOT RARE

• IT IS NOT CONTAGIOUS

• IT IS NOT A MENTAL ILLNESS

• IT DOES NOT ALWAYS AFFECT INTELLIGENCE

• IT IS NOT THE SAME FOR EVERY PERSON

Types of Seizures A B S E N CE – L A PS E O F AWA R E NE SS, B L A N KI NG O U T, S O M E T IM ES S TA RE . B E G I N A N D E N D A B R U PT LY.

ATO N I C – “ W I T HOU T TO N E ” M U S C L E S LO S E S T R E NG TH , N O M O VE M ENT. U S U A L LY C O N S CIO US. H E A D O R PA R T O F T H E B O DY O R A L L O F T H E B O DY W I L L G O L I M P. C A L L E D D R O P AT TA CKS .

C LO N IC – R E PE AT ED J E R KI N G , R A PI D A LT E R NAT ING C O N T RA CT ION A N D R E L A X ATIO N . U S U A L LY C O N S CIO US.

M YO C LO NIC – S H O C K L I KE J E R KS O F M U S C L E O R M U S C L E G R O U PS . U S U A L LYC O N S CIO US.

TO N I C – M U S C L E TO N E I N C R EA SED C A U S I NG S U DD EN S TI FFENI NG M O VE M E NT. U S U A L LY C O N S CIO US A N D AWA R E .

TO N I C C LO N IC – M U S C L ES S T I F FE N T H E N R A PI D J E R KI NG B E G I N S, C O N VU LSI ONS. U S U A L LY LO S E S C O N S CIOU SNE SS. PR E VI O US LY C A L L E D G R A N D M A L .

Types of Seizures Cont. F O C A L I M PA I R ED AWA R E N ESS – S TA R T S I N O N E A R E A O F T H E B R A I N , U NAWA RE O F S U R R O UN DING S. PR E VI O US LY C A L L E D C O M PL E X PA R T I A L. I N C L U DE S L I P S M A C KIN G, F U M B L ING , WA N D ERI NG, S TA R E S B L A N KLY

F O C A L AWA R E – S TA RT S I N O N E A R E A O F T H E B R A I N , R E M A I N A L E R T, B R I E F. PR E VI O US LY C A L L E D S I M PL E PA R T I A L S E I Z U RE .

2 T Y PE S I N C L U DEG E L A S T IC – LO O K L I KE U N C O NT ROL LE D L A U G H I NG O R G I G G L IN GD A C R Y S TIC – U N C O N TR OLL ED C R Y I NG

F E B R I LE – B O DY T E M PE R ATU RE T H AT C H A N G E S R A PI D LY C A U S I N G A H I G H F E VE R . U S U A L LY S TO P B Y A G E 6

N O N E PL I E PT IC – N OT C A U S E D B Y E L E C T RI CA L B R A I N A C T I VIT Y. U S UA LLY T H E C A U S E I S PS YC H O LOG ICA L.

R E F R A CTOR Y – U N C O NT RO LL ED E PI L E PS Y, S OM ETI MES C A L L E D D R U G R E S I ST A NT.

Common Seizure TriggersMISSING MEDICATIONILLNESSLACK OF SLEEP STRESS PUBERTY PHOTOSENSITIVITYNUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIESMEDICATIONS -

PRESCRIBED AND OVER THE COUNTERDRUG ABUSEALCOHOL

Emergency Seizure Rescue TreatmentTYPICALLY USED FOR

CLUSTER OR REPETITIVE SEIZURESPROLONGED SEIZURESMORE FREQUENT SEIZURESMORE SEVERE SEIZURES

USED TO STOP SEIZURES QUICKLY

TREATMENT TYPES -ORAL MEDICATIONRECTAL GEL NASAL SPRAY IMPLANTED DEVICES MAGNET SWIPE

Seizure PrecautionsSTUDENTS WITH SEIZURES ALWAYS FOLLOW SEIZURE PRECAUTIONS, UNLESS SOMETHING DIFFERENT IS SPECIFIED IN THEIR PLAN OF CARE FROM THEIR PHYSICIAN -

• AVOID STROBE LIGHTS• AVOID PROLONGED SCREEN TIME• AVOID HEIGHTS, 2 FEET ON THE GROUND AT ALL TIMES• RELEASE FROM PHYSICIAN FOR FIELD TRIPS• LIMIT HEAT EXPOSURE

Student Emergency Action PlanI F A S T U D E N T I N YO U R C L A S S H A S S E I Z U RES , TAL K TO YO U R C A M PU S N U R S E

S T U D E NT S W I L L H AVE A S E I Z UR E A C T I O N PL A N , I T M AY B E S I M I LA R TO T H I S O N E .

T E A C H ER S W I L L KE E P A C O PY O F T H E S E I Z U RE A C T I O N PL A N I N A S E C U R E LO C AT ION I N T H E I R R O O M , A N D I N T H E S U B F O L D E R

What to do if a student has a seizure -KE E P C A L M , PR O VI D E R E A S S U RA NCE , S TAY W I T H T H E S T U D E N T

I F T H E S T U D E N T LO O S ES C O N S CIOU SNE SS –A S S O O N A S PO S S I BL E L AY S T U D E NT O N T H E G R O U N D A N D M O VE A L L O B J E C TS AWAY F R O M S T U D E NT

KE E P A I R WAY C L E A R , D O N OT PU T A N Y T H ING I N T H E M O U T H

KE E P S A F E , D O N OT R E S T R A IN, A N D R E M O VE A L L U N N E CE SSA RY PE O PL E F R O M T H E R O O M

T I M E S E I Z U RE, O B S E R VE A L L M O VE M E NT S, R E C O RD A L L M O VE M E NT A N D B R E AT H ING

D O C U M ENT S TO P A N D S TA R T T I M E

I F PO S S I B LE A N D S A F E , T U R N O N S I D E

What to do if a student has a seizure -AS S OON AS ANY S E IZ URE ACTIVITY IS NOTE D:- HIT PANIC BUTTON OR CAL L FRONT OFFICE FOR HE L P AND E X PL AIN

E VE RYT HING T HAT IS GOING ON AND WHO T HE S T UDE NT IS .

- OFFICE WIL L OVE RHE AD PAGE 3 T IME S FOR RAPID RE S PONS E T E AM TO RE PORT TO T HAT ROOM.

- T E AM WIL L RE S POND WITH AE D AND ANY RE S CUE ME DICATION, IF PRE S CRIBED.

- HAVE THE RE S T OF THE S TUDE NTS GO TO ANOTHE R CL AS S AND L E T THAT T E ACHE R KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

Observation and Documenting

I T I S I M PO R TA NT F O R S O M E ON E TO D O C U M ENT A S M U C H A S PO S S I B LE D U R I N G A N D A F T E R T H E S E I Z U R E

T H E N U R S E W I L L N E E D A S M U C H D E TA I L A S C A N B E G I VE N

S O M E S T U D E NT S H AVE A S E I Z UR E LO G S H E E T KE PT I N T H E C L A S S R OOM W I T H T H E I R S E I Z U R E A C T I ON PL A N

If you would like a seizure education poster for your class, please talk to your campus nurse, or you can go to https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/first-aid-seizures-stay-safe-side

School PreparednessS T U D E NT S W I T H S E I Z U R ES M AY H AVE –

• PR O B L E MS W I T H L E A R N ING , S CH OOL PE R F O RM ANC E C A N B E A F F E C TED• PR O B L E MS W I T H A N X I ETY • PR O B L E MS W I T H S O C I A L S KI L L S• PR O B L E MS F E E L ING S T I G M AT IZE D• PR O B L E MS W I T H B U L LY I NG• G R E AT ER R I S K O F I N J U R Y, E A R LY D E AT H , D E PR E S SI ON A N D S U I C I DE

IT IS CRITICAL SCHOOL PERSONNEL KNOW WHAT EPILEPSY IS, HOW TO RECOGNIZE SEIZURES AND KNOW WHAT TO DO IF A STUDENT HAS A SEIZURE

Looking for more information?

• Contact your campus nurse-

Liberty X6513 FAA X6330

North X6101 Tannahill X4812

West X6208 BMS X4525

Blue Haze X6407 BHS X4321

• Epilepsy Foundation – Epilepsy.com

• Videos for school personnel https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/our-training-and-education/seizure-training-school-personnel