In a seizure case with distressed mother, what should you do?

In a seizure case with distressed mother, what should you do?

• A. Have the mother hold the child and proceed.
• B. Consider asking the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother.
• C. Move the mother away and assess alone.
• D. Remove the child from the mother and place him on a bed.

Answer: (B)

When a child has a seizure and a distressed caregiver, the priority is to keep the scene safe while making a clear plan that allows you to assess the child and support the family. Asking the father to hold the child gives you a stable way to keep the child safe and still for you to perform a focused assessment, while your partner works to calm the mother. This minimizes chaos, keeps the child secure, and frees you to check airway, breathing, circulation, and level of consciousness promptly. Placing the mother in charge of holding the child would likely increase her distress and interfere with your assessment. Moving the mother away and assessing alone ignores the family’s presence and can worsen the situation, and taking the child away from the mother creates unnecessary separation and upset.

When a child has a seizure and a distressed caregiver, the priority is to keep the scene safe while making a clear plan that allows you to assess the child and support the family. Asking the father to hold the child gives you a stable way to keep the child safe and still for you to perform a focused assessment, while your partner works to calm the mother. This minimizes chaos, keeps the child secure, and frees you to check airway, breathing, circulation, and level of consciousness promptly. Placing the mother in charge of holding the child would likely increase her distress and interfere with your assessment. Moving the mother away and assessing alone ignores the family’s presence and can worsen the situation, and taking the child away from the mother creates unnecessary separation and upset.