Statement on research into inappropriate first aid for seizures in US hospital dramas

Simon Wigglesworth, deputy chief executive of Epilepsy Action, says:

"It is disappointing that, with so much information available about administering first aid to people with epilepsy, programme makers can’t seem to get it right. Epilepsy Action has been contacted by many people who have been inappropriately restrained or had something put in their mouth while having a seizure. Putting something in someone's mouth during a seizure can lead to broken teeth and is completely unecessary as you cannot swallow your tongue during a seizure. These programmes reach huge audiences and programme makers have the power to help the public understand what to do if someone has a seizure.

"Programmes like this usually only show tonic clonic seizures, where people fall to the floor and have convulsions. This is only one of 40 different kinds of seizure, yet the public is mostly unaware of anything other than stereotypical convulsions. It would be a positive step for programme makers to show a more accurate picture of epilepsy. Groups like Epilepsy Action work hard to reduce the stigma that surrounds epilepsy and promote good first aid advice. Hospital dramas and other programmes could help us enormously by working with us on epilepsy storylines to make sure they are accurate."

• 'Hospital dramas like Casualty and ER 'mislead' viewers over seizure care', The Daily Telegraph, 15 February 2010

Epilepsy Action's leaflet 'First Aid for Seizures' can be downloaded from our website at www.epilepsy.org.uk or you can order a free copy from our helpline, freephone 0808 800 5050.