Safety and Seizures Page 10

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Household Safety

• Carpet the floors in your house or apartment with heavy pile and thick under padding. Put extra padding under carpeting in the bathroom.
  
  
• Pad sharp corners of tables and other furniture; look for rounded corners when you shop.
  
  
• Keep toys and other clutter off the floor to avoid tripping.
  
  
• Put guards around the fireplace or, preferably, close fireplace screens while a fire is burning.
  
  
• Avoid smoking or lighting fires when you're by yourself.
  
  
• Don't carry hot fireplace ashes or lighted candles through the house.
  
  
• Avoid space heaters that can tip over.
  
  
• Place non-flammable barriers in front of heaters and hot radiators.
  
  
• Use curling irons or clothing irons with automatic shut off switches to prevent burns.
  
  
• Try to avoid climbing up on chairs or ladders, especially when alone.
  
  
• Make sure any motor-driven equipment, such as a lawn mower, has a "dead man's" handle that will stop the machine if your hand releases normal pressure.
  

My father has seizures and twice he had them while sitting at the table having dinner. Both times he fell to the ground and once he broke his arm. My mom decided the answer was some new dining room chairs -- including one with arms. They look great; my father uses the one with the arms, and now, if he has a seizure, he doesn't fall.

• Take a careful look at power tools in your home workshop - do they have an automatic shut off? Would you be hurt if you had a seizure while using them? Be especially careful of circular saws, drills, and sewing machines.
  
  
• If you tend to wander during a seizure, make sure outside doors are securely locked. Consider placing an alarm on an outside door that will alert others in the house if you try to open it during a seizure.
  
  
• Put safety gates at the top of steep stairs

 

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Disclaimer

This information is based on common experience. It does not reflect the level of risk or need for safety measures of any individual. People vary in their need for safety measures and readers with seizures are warned not to base lifestyle changes on this material without first consulting a physician.

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