Children with seizure disorders require close supervision in the pool.
Approximately 1.5 million people in the United States suffer from some type of seizure disorder. An abnormal spread of electrical activity in the brain causes seizures. They can cause a lapse in consciousness and loss of muscle control, which exposes people to danger in high risk situations. Seizures can also cause brain injury and sudden death when uncontrolled. The best way to prevent injury or death from seizures is to prevent them from occurring.
Drowning
According to the Epilepsy Foundation, a 2008 study showed that people with epilepsy have 15 to 19 times higher risk of drowning compared to people without epilepsy. The bathtub is the most common place for a person with seizures to die, and the second is the pool. Children may have a lower risk of drowning than adults because they are more likely to be under the supervision of a parent or caregiver.
Febrile Seizures
A very high fever in children can lead to a febrile seizure. It starts with contractions of the face, trunk, arms and leg muscles followed by intermittent moments of relaxation and a rhythmic jerking of the body. The eyes of the child may have a fixed stare or roll back. He may pass urine or vomit, stop breathing, or appear non-responsive and extremely drowsy. Though it's possible for a severe attack of febrile seizure to cause death, it's very rare.
Falls
Seizures can cause muscles to suddenly lose strength, causing people to drop things and fall to the ground. At times they may lose consciousness. Many people with seizures injure themselves when they fall, so they may choose to use protection such as helmets to protect their head.
Lapse of consciousness
Absence seizure (also known as petit mal) occurs most often in children and causes a sudden lapse of conscious activity. The child may appear to stare into space for a few seconds. While seemingly mild, these seizures can be very dangerous if they happen while the child is climbing, crossing a street or participating in other potentially dangerous activities.
Seizures During Pregnancy
A tonic-clonic seizure (formerly known as "gran mal") is a severe seizure that can involve loss of consciousness, rigidity, convulsing and falls. This condition in a pregnant woman is dangerous for a developing fetus, especially in the last trimester. A fall can injure the unborn child, and the mother's temporary interruption of breathing during the seizure deprives the fetus of oxygen to the brain.
Status Epilepticus
Status epilepticus is a continuous state of seizure that can cause death or brain damage. Seizures are considered an emergency if they last longer than 5 minutes or if a person has multiple seizures and does not arouse. The Epilepsy Foundation estimates that 42,000 deaths and thousands more incidences of brain damage follow episodes of status epilepticus every year.
Sudden Death
The London-based medical journal, "Lancet," reports new information on the prevalence of the sudden death syndrome among patients with poorly controlled seizures. About 10 to 15 of 10,000 patients with severe epilepsy die unexpectedly each year.
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