Emergency care for strokes and seizures

Stroke is the leading cause of death in the U.S. If someone was having a stroke, would you know what to do?

The acronym to remember is BE FAST:

“B” is for balance. Check the person’s balance. If they are wobbly when they walk or seem off balance, that could be a sign of stroke.

“E” is for eyes. If the person has double vision or difficulty focusing or looking at you, that’s a potential sign of stroke.

“F” is for face. Check to see if the person has drooping on one side of the face, or an uneven smile.

“A” is for arms. Ask them to hold their arms out in front of them and close their eyes. If one arm starts to drift down, that’s a sign.

“S” is for speech. Ask very simple questions, like “What’s your daughter’s name? What city do you live in?” Ask questions that the person should know – nothing complicated. If they don’t answer or don’t remember, that’s a sign of a stroke.

“T” is for time! Time is very importnat!

Of course, call 911 as soon as you realize a person is in distress and needs medical attention.

Now, how about if someone is suffering a seizure? This is usually more obvious – but what should you do in this situation?

Wanda Helgesen is the director of the Border Regional Advisory Council, or BorderRAC. She says there’s nothing you can do to stop a seizure. Your job is to make sure the individual is safe. If you have a person on their back, you may try to roll them to their side so theyr’e in a safe position and no one comes around them or interferes.

There are different types of seizures – some more serious than others.

“You should never try to put anything in their mouth,” says Helgesen. “Some people think the victim’s going to swallow their tongue. That’s not true. Don’t hold them down. Don’t try to constrict them. “

Most seizures stop on their own with no permanent damage. So remember – you can’t stop it, but you can protect someone from harm by keeping them clear of anything sharp or dangerous in their surroundings.

For more information on emergency care in stroke or seizure situation, go to www.redcross.org/takeaclass