A first Seizures is a reason to visit your doctor or a hospital's emergency department. For someone with a diagnosed Seizures disorder, a change in Seizures patterns or more frequent Seizures are reasons to see the doctor.

Visits to a hospital's emergency department are not needed for everyone with a Seizures . Some Seizures are emergencies, as in the following cases:

• A Seizures that continues for more than 5 minutes (call 911)
• Breathing difficulty (call 911)
• Persistent confusion or unconsciousness (call 911)
• Injuries sustained during a Seizures
• A first Seizures

Home care with epilepsy varies with the frequency and type of Seizures . It is important to take anticonvulsant medication regularly to prevent Seizures .

When a Seizures occurs, an observer can use common sense to prevent injuries.

• Cushion the person's head.
• Loosen any tight neckwear.
• Turn the person on his or her side.
• Do not hold the person down or restrain the person.
• Do not place anything in the mouth or try to pry the teeth apart. The person is not in danger of swallowing his or her tongue.
• Observe Seizures characteristics—length, type of movements, direction of head or eye turning. These characteristics may help the doctor diagnose the type of Seizures .

Follow-up varies tremendously depending on an identified cause of Seizures and the frequency of Seizures .

For people with infrequent Seizures who are on constant medications, follow-up visits once or twice a year may be adequate.
If the Seizures are difficult to control or if new medications are being used, weekly visits are not unusual.

If the Seizures are related to another medical condition, identification and treatment of that medical condition is the key to prevention. If anticonvulsant medication is prescribed, taking the medication on the recommended schedule and not missing medication is important.

Some people with epilepsy are quite sensitive to alcohol. If this pattern develops, avoid alcohol. Others may have Seizures only after ceasing heavy alcohol intake. The key to prevention is avoidance of alcohol.

Sleep deprivation and stress certainly may increase the frequency of Seizures in some people with epilepsy.

Epilepsy simply describes the condition of recurrent Seizures . The outcome of the Seizures disorder is strongly related to the cause of the Seizures , if a cause is discovered.

For people with symptomatic epilepsy—that is, Seizures that occur because other medical conditions exist -prognosis will depend on the other medical condition.

Seizures resulting from low blood sugars, for example, could be prevented by careful management and avoidance of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Seizures related to progressive medical conditions such as some brain tumors or metabolic conditions may be difficult to control and may have a poor outcome.

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