People with epilepsy are characterized by disturbances in the brain’s nerve cells and result in seizures that often end in death.
Heri Subianto, a neurosurgeon at the National Hospital in Surabaya, said that people with epilepsy who are relapsed need help from those around them.
During a seizure, there are at least the first four treatments that can be given. First, the patient must be positioned on his side with one hand straight supporting the head.
“Don’t panic, don’t run. If there is an ambulance call, do it. While the patient himself, tilted towards the floor, do not lie on his back. His hands supporting the head, straightened (his hands). Just leave the legs (convulsions),” said Heri, Saturday (1/4/2023).
Second, all binding clothing must be loosened. Then try not to have hard objects around the patient who is having a seizure.
“Avoid hard objects around it. Open if there is a tie or anything that binds (on the body) it is opened, loosened,” he added.
Third, people with epilepsy usually expel vomit from their mouths. Vomit must be wiped.
“Wiped with a handkerchief. Don’t be disgusted. It cannot be spread by saliva because epilepsy is not a contagious disease,” he continued.
Fourth, ideally 1-2 minutes the patient will stop convulsing and slowly wake up. But sufferers should not be given food and drink including mineral water until 30 minutes or one hour later.
“Should be 1-2 minutes. If you still have a seizure for 5 minutes, go straight to the hospital or usually at home, there is already medicine that is inserted through the rectum. If you are conscious, sit down, don’t give him a drink. Wait half or an hour until you are fully conscious,” he said.
Heri said that of the many types of epilepsy, the symptoms shown were the same, namely seizures.
“Temporal lobe epilepsy, frontal epilepsy, and ossivity. Medically it’s different but clinically it’s a seizure,” he said.
The most common cause in Indonesia is accident trauma. Followed by a second due to brain infection, and disruption of brain development while in the womb.
“For example the mother has a rubella infection, it can affect the fetus, or when the umbilical cord gets stuck when it is born it doesn’t come out right away. Or all normal, but got an infection in the early days after birth. There are offspring but below 10 percent.” said Harry.
He hopes that the public will provide support for people with epilepsy to recover apart from taking medication.
“It can heal. Marked by 10 years of asymptomatic evaluation. The first five years with medication without seizures, another five years without medication without seizures, so it’s 10 years,” he concluded. (lta/abd/ipg)
