Symptoms of seizures can easily be confused with other conditions, from dementia to stroke. Such confusion can make it difficult to react in a proper way. Therefore, it is so important to learn what to do when an elderly person has an epileptic seizure, what to do after the epileptic seizure and what the symptoms of seizures in the elderly may look like. Learning even only a few simple precautions can literally save somebody’s life in the future.
Causes of seizures in the elderly
There are a few things which can cause convulsions in the elderly. But mostly, seizures in the elderly are caused by epilepsy. Since the risk factors of epilepsy are related to the diseases affecting brain functions, strokes and head injuries, people are much more likely to develop it with age.
The cause of seizures in older patients is usually epilepsy, but it is worth emphasizing that epileptic seizures in the elderly can result from many things. For example, a non-epileptic seizure may be caused by their physical condition or stress and it may manifest the same symptoms as an epileptic seizure. But what does it look like?
Types of seizures
Seizures essentially constitute an electrical disorder in the brain.
The type of seizure experienced by an elderly person will depend on the location of the disorder. For example, a general seizure covers the entire electrical activity of the brain. This can lead to convulsions, falls, unexpected twitches and loss of consciousness or the ability to speak. Even breathing may stop for a few moments.
Other times, electrical activity is concentrated in only one area of the brain, which is called a partial seizure. This type is one of the most common in seniors with epilepsy. Someone who has a complex partial seizure often appears to be confused, keeps staring, mumbles or repeats actions as if they were sleepwalking. As with dementia, a familiar environment may seem strange. These events are often overlooked for a certain amount of time as people do not remember that they have suffered from partial seizures.
A generalized seizure is usually characterized by the fact that the body of the person stiffens and begins to shake in an unusual way. But it is important to understand that epileptic seizures in seniors do not always cause such dynamic symptoms. Sometimes a person who has an epileptic seizure simply falls down, as if they suddenly lost consciousness.
How to help an elderly person in the case of a seizure
Someone who is experiencing a seizure may not be able to speak, but they may be able to respond to simple requests. Symptoms of a seizure usually disappear within three minutes, although they can last up to an hour before the person regains full consciousness. After the end of the seizure, the elderly person tends to experience a loss of control over the bladder or they sweat excessively.
The procedure in this situation is as follows:
If the person is experiencing an epileptic seizure for the first time, it is necessary to immediately seek medical attention
If the person has been diagnosed with epilepsy and experiences seizures on a regular basis, the doctor may advise waiting about three minutes before requesting medical help
Until medical assistance becomes available, it is possible to help the person in the following way:
Protect the elderly person’s head from injuries by holding it with your hands
Clear the person’s airways
Do not insert any items into their mouth
After the seizure has stopped, check for any injuries
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