Someone is having a seizure — clear the area, place them on their side, time the episode, and don’t put anything in their mouth.

Move any hard objects away from the person. Lay them on their side with their mouth facing down, and start timing the seizure. Don’t hold them down, don’t force their mouth open, and don’t put anything into their mouth — doing so can easily damage teeth and jaws. Call emergency services if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, if it stops briefly then starts again, if the person doesn’t respond afterward or has trouble breathing, if it occurs in water, or if this is the person’s first seizure ever. Only give water after they’ve fully regained consciousness.

No cost at all.

This approach prevents injuries to teeth and jaws caused by forcing the mouth open or inserting foreign objects. It also avoids fractures that can result from restraining a convulsing person. A seizure lasting over 5 minutes is a clear medical emergency requiring immediate ambulance help.

The same page lists several other situations that also demand immediate ambulance call: a seizure that ends only to recur quickly, post‑seizure unresponsiveness or breathing difficulty, any injury sustained during the episode, a seizure occurring in water, or a first‑time seizure. After the seizure stops, the person should be placed on their side with the mouth down, and only then given water once fully awake. This guidance is primarily intended for family members caring for someone with epilepsy; applying these steps to a stranger offers fewer personal benefits but still protects you from legal liability (Civil Code Article 184, see item 2 in this section — don’t rush to lift the person up).

美国疾病控制与预防中心. 癫痫发作急救：「Don't hold the person down or stop their movements」「Don't put anything in their mouth. This can hurt their teeth or jaw」「Don't offer water or food until they are fully alert」「Time the seizure to track if it lasts more than 5 minutes. If it does, seek immediate medical attention or call 911」. https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/first-aid-for-seizures/index.html ; NHS. Febrile seizures：「it's unlikely to harm your child or cause long-term effects」「Febrile seizures usually last for 2 to 3 minutes. It's rare for them to last more than 10 minutes」「They usually affect children between 6 months and 6 years old」「has a seizure for the first time」「has a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes」「is more sleepy than usual for more than 1 hour after the seizure stops」「protect their head with your hands or something soft」「do not move your child or try to hold them in place」「do not try to lower your child's temperature by undressing them or sponging them with cold water」「Do not take your child to A&E if they are still having a seizure or are unconscious, call 999 instead」「your child will need to be checked in hospital after having a febrile seizure for the first time」. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/febrile-seizures/ ; Subcommittee on Febrile Seizures, American Academy of Pediatrics (2011). Neurodiagnostic evaluation of the child with a simple febrile seizure. Pediatrics, 127(2), 389-394：「In general, a simple febrile seizure does not usually require further evaluation, specifically electroencephalography, blood studies, or neuroimaging」. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-3318