If your child has a seizure disorder, the unpredictability can be one of the hardest parts — you can't always know when a seizure will happen, so preparation is what makes the difference. Most seizures are brief and resolve on their own, but knowing exactly what to do, and when to escalate, takes the guesswork out of a scary moment. Here's how to build that safety net at home and in Florida.
1. Recognizing a Seizure
Seizures don't always look like the dramatic, full-body convulsions people picture. Some cause a child to stare blankly, act confused, or briefly lose awareness; others cause shaking, jerking, or a sudden fall. Ask your child's neurologist to describe exactly what your child's typical seizures look like and how long they usually last, so you can recognize your child's pattern and notice quickly when something is different.
2. Seizure First Aid: What to Do
Stay with your child and start timing the seizure the moment it begins — this single step matters more than almost anything else, since duration drives every other decision. Ease your child to the ground if they're falling, clear the area of anything that could cause injury, and gently turn them onto their side with their mouth pointing down to keep the airway clear. Put something soft under their head, loosen anything tight around the neck, and remove eyeglasses. When the seizure ends, stay with your child as they recover, and reassure them — many kids feel confused or tired afterward and won't remember what happened.
3. What Not to Do
Don't hold your child down or try to stop the movements — this can cause injury to both of you. Don't put anything in their mouth; contrary to old advice, there's no risk of someone "swallowing their tongue," and objects in the mouth can cause dental or airway injury. Don't attempt mouth-to-mouth breathing during the seizure itself, and don't offer food or water until your child is fully alert, since swallowing may not be safe yet.
4. Build a Seizure Action Plan With Your Doctor
Every child with a seizure disorder should have a written seizure action plan from their neurologist or pediatrician, kept somewhere every caregiver can find it quickly. A good plan spells out what your child's typical seizures look like, what counts as unusual for your child specifically, whether a rescue medication is prescribed and exactly when to give it, and clear criteria for when to call 911. Because seizure presentations vary so much child to child, a personalized plan matters more than general guidance — share it with every caregiver, school staff, and your home health team.
5. Rescue Medication at Home
Some children are prescribed a rescue medication — such as rectal diazepam or nasal midazolam — for seizures that run longer than usual or that meet criteria set by their doctor. If your child has one, know the exact dose, how to administer it, and how soon you should expect it to work (rescue medications typically stop a seizure within a few minutes). Confirm with your child's doctor in advance whether giving rescue medication means you should also call 911, since many care teams recommend doing both rather than waiting to see if the medication works first.
6. When to Call 911
Most seizures don't require emergency care, but call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, if your child has another seizure soon after the first without fully recovering in between, if they have trouble breathing or waking up afterward, if they're injured during the seizure, or if the seizure happens in water. It's also important to call 911 if this is your child's first-ever seizure, so it can be properly evaluated. Keep these criteria written into your child's seizure action plan so any caregiver can act quickly without guessing. For a broader framework on triaging non-seizure emergencies too, see our guide on when to call 911, your pediatrician, or your home health agency.
7. Coordinating Seizure Care at School
Florida law allows parents to submit an Individualized Seizure Action Plan (ISAP) to their child's school, developed and signed by your child's medical professional. Once submitted, the school must provide care based on the ISAP, and school staff who regularly interact with your child must be trained to recognize and respond to seizures — including administering rescue medication when it's part of the plan. Work with your school nurse early in the year (or as soon as possible after a diagnosis) to get the ISAP in place, rather than waiting for it to come up.
8. What to Look for in a Home Health Team
If you're bringing in a nurse or trained caregiver for seizure-related support, ask how comfortable they are recognizing your child's specific seizure presentation, whether they're trained to administer rescue medication if it's part of the care plan, and how quickly they escalate to you or your child's doctor when something looks different from your child's usual pattern. For a fuller list of questions to ask any agency, see our guide on choosing a pediatric home health agency in Florida.
Ready to Talk Through Your Child's Care Plan?
Home Heart Florida works with Florida families to coordinate private duty nursing and FHHA family caregiving for children with seizure disorders and other complex medical needs. Contact us or call 844-721-1433 — we're happy to talk through your options.
Clinically reviewed by Christina Viamontes, MSN, RN
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, First Aid for Seizures
American Academy of Pediatrics, Seizure Rescue Medications and Seizure Action Plan
Florida Statutes, Section 1006.0626 — Care of Students with Epilepsy or Seizure Disorders
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical, legal, or professional advice. It does not replace consultation with your child's physician, care team, or other qualified healthcare provider, and reading it does not create a provider-patient relationship with Home Heart Florida. Always follow the specific instructions and care plan provided by your child's medical team, and consult your child's doctor with any questions about your child's individual condition or care. If you believe your child is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.