Family members should remain calm during a grand mal seizure in children and perform the following necessary first aid treatments.
Quickly hold the child to prevent injury from falling and have him/her lie down on a bed, flat surface or safe place.
Untie the collar and cuffs to keep the airway open and turn the head and body to the side so that saliva and mucus can flow out.
Do not grasp the child or stop the convulsions as this may cause fractures or muscle and soft tissue damage, as the convulsions usually stop within a few minutes and a bystander cannot stop them.
Place a soft pad under the child’s head to protect it. It is not necessary to place anything between the upper and lower teeth unless the child’s teeth are clenching the tongue. If it is necessary, use a two-layer handkerchief rolled tightly and placed between the teeth.
After the seizure, turn the child onto his or her side or prone position. This will help to clear breathing and avoid choking while the child slowly regains consciousness.
If the seizure does not remit for 5 minutes, or if there are multiple seizures within 10 minutes, and if consciousness does not return at the interval between convulsions, breathing difficulties occur, and the body is seriously injured, 120 needs to be called for emergency admission to the hospital.
In addition, if it is the child’s first seizure, even if the child returns to normal after the seizure, he or she should be rushed to the hospital immediately to identify the cause and treat it.