Families 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 lay him/her 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 one side so that saliva and mucus can flow out.
Do not grasp the child or stop the convulsions as this may cause fractures or damage to the soft tissues of the muscles 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 put anything between the upper and lower teeth unless the child’s teeth are clenching the tongue. If this is necessary, roll two layers of handkerchief tightly and place them between the teeth.
After the seizure, turn the child onto his or her side or into a prone position. This will help to clear breathing and avoid suffocation while the child slowly regains consciousness.
If the seizure does not resolve within 5 minutes, or if there are multiple seizures within 10 minutes, and there is no return of consciousness between convulsions, breathing difficulties and serious physical injuries, call 120 for emergency admission to hospital.
In addition, if the seizure is the child’s first, even if the child returns to normal after the seizure, he or she should be rushed to hospital immediately to identify the cause and treat it.