Feature Article: Summer is here! How to keep safe when you are living with epilepsy and seizures.
Who isn’t waiting for the long winter months to be over and for the bright summer days to arrive? Summer weather, time off from school, and longer days invite us to abandon our winter hibernation, becoming more active through all sorts of activities (e.g., barbecues, summer vacations, beach trips or lounging by the swimming pool, outdoor sports, and much more). To get the most out of these warm seasonal pastimes and to avoid unpleasant emergencies, it is important to keep epilepsy safety in mind.
In this issue, we are going to share some useful tips that are meant to help our community enjoy the warm months safely and fully:
Let's start out with summer temperatures because as we all know, they can go up, sometimes even into the 90’s or more!
1) With epilepsy and seizures, it is important to be mindful of this, working on keeping cool. Some ways to achieve this is by staying in the shade, using water mist handheld fans, spending time in swimming pools [check item 4 below for more information], and limiting time out in the heat. For this last item, during the hottest time of the day, it probably makes sense to choose to stay indoors. However, also be mindful of sharp changes in temperature, trying whenever possible to avoid suddenly going from extremely hot temperatures to arctic air-conditioned rooms or vice versa.
2) Make sure to stay hydrated: Dehydration can lower the seizure threshold, so it’s essential to make sure to drink water or fluids throughout the day. It may make sense to carry a water bottle and to remember to take regular sips from it. In addition, when exercising, it is recommended that the person exercising makes sure to stay hydrated, take breaks, and monitor body signals, resting when needed.
3) Important reminder: Before spending hours baking under the sun, check with the epileptologist or pharmacist because although you may not have heard of this, some medications can cause phototoxic reactions (sun exposure while on this medication can result in a “bad sunburn”). If someone is planning to be out in the sun, they should make sure to know important information about their medications and the sun, be sure to know how to protect against this and have plenty of sunscreen handy.
4) Safety when swimming or in water: If a seizure occurs, even if someone is a strong swimmer or is in very shallow water, it can be dangerous. This is why a routine recommendation is that people with epilepsy swim with a buddy. And keep in mind, the buddy needs to always be attentive. The buddy should be aware of the person’s epilepsy, should know what to do and be informed about the person’s seizure action plan. Other useful recommendations include wearing an approved life jacket, especially if swimming in open water but at other times as well. And mind you, “water wings” and flotation swimsuits are not US Coast Guard approved flotation devices and cannot replace an approved life vest.
It is also a good idea to let the lifeguards know that someone has epilepsy so they will be more attentive, but it is imperative to understand that lifeguards are supervising an entire pool and may not be paying close attention to one single person. If there are concerns about this, the person should have 1-to-1 supervision by swimming with a buddy, or at least by having someone sitting next to the pool monitoring closely with no distractions.
5) When someone with epilepsy goes out alone for a hike, walk, jog or to ride a bicycle, it is recommended they inform someone (e.g., a friend or family member) of the planned route and an estimated time of return. Also, it is important to have identification and a medical alert pendant, or scannable device that includes information on the person’s epilepsy, emergency contacts, and seizure action plan. Also, remember to carry a water bottle and to take breaks if needed and survey the route to make sure there are no major dangers.
6) Although most people with epilepsy can enjoy a wide variety of activities, some activities may be high risk and perhaps need to be avoided. Rock climbing, hiking along steep terrain with potentially dangerous drops, paragliding, scuba diving, and boxing are a few examples that require careful consideration and discussion with the patient’s health team. There may be others and if in doubt, it should be run by the epilepsy team.
7) Other fun summer activities that may not involve physical activity include barbecues, parties, open-air concerts, and lots of other fun summer social gatherings. Sometimes these events include alcohol or recreational drugs. It is important to be careful with alcohol, for example, because it is known to lower the seizure threshold and breakthrough seizures might ensue. Some other substances can have effects on seizures too, so it is important to be aware and informed. Furthermore, be careful around open flames (e.g., fire pits, barbecues).
8) Summer travel: When taking a trip, let’s say on a plane or watercraft, or when traveling to a different state or abroad, there are special considerations that can help ensure a safe and successful vacation. We invite you to read this recent article on safety when traveling: https://www.epilepsygroup.com/notes6-35-337/safety-in-epilepsy-and-seizures-being-a-tourist-when-yo.htm
And especially, if on a water vessel (e.g., kayak, sailboat, canoe, etc.) make sure to wear a life vest and to make sure to stay safe by being with others, staying near the shore, or other details that may come in handy).
Let’s end this article with some wisdom from our own Benjamin Franklin: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” By taking reasonable precautions, we hope to increase the likelihood that summer will be all the fun that it can and should be! Enjoy your summer months and we will meet again in September when our next newsletter issue comes out.
