How dangerous are seizures in flight
Feb 15, 2010, 2:46 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Skywards, Velocity Rewards
Posts: 365
One reason that airlines are reluctant to divert in the case of seizures lately is that there has been been a spurt in terms of passengers "faking" seizures while overflying certain countries and then claiming asylum upon landing.
It is a very tiny minority of cases that are actually fakes but enough that the immigration authorities have warned airlines to beware of these.
It is a very tiny minority of cases that are actually fakes but enough that the immigration authorities have warned airlines to beware of these.
Why would a person not just take a flight to the country in which they wish to claim asylum instead of going through fake medical symptom shenanigans?
Feb 15, 2010, 12:36 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,098
I traveled last week, a passenger in the row in front of me suffered multiple seizures in flight. After the third one they finally called for a medical professional on board. The flight did not divert, though it was held at the gate to get a medical professional. I did not realize they were seizures until the medical professional thing happened
Question is, how dangerous is this? If its very dangerous, I'm sure I'll let the flight attendants know in the future when I first see a sign of it, or is it controllable and ok to proceed to destination? I guess we had about two hours after the last incident until destination.
Question is, how dangerous is this? If its very dangerous, I'm sure I'll let the flight attendants know in the future when I first see a sign of it, or is it controllable and ok to proceed to destination? I guess we had about two hours after the last incident until destination.
However, complications from seizures cannot be adquately dealt with on board..concussion, hypoxia, lacerations etc. And post-seizure care cannot be so great either. Headache, disorientation. It's probably better to divert.
Feb 15, 2010, 1:16 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: TPA
Programs: UA Global Services 3MM, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 2,927
It's best for us not to speculate as the the etiology of what the OP witnessed on the flight. There are a variety of causes of conditions that look like seizures to the untrained, and they can be benign (as many posters have already indicated) to critical. Clearly, epilepsy and other chronic conditions represent one of the diagnoses, but there are many others. A delay in treatment of the underlying conditions could prove to have truly negative outcomes.
Therefore, there is not a simple, single answer. I agree with those who say that patients with a history of seizure disorders who suffer from an exacerbation of their chronic condition, may not require immediate evaluation and emergent treatment. Others, however, without a history of similar episodes, or those having their initial event, should be evaluated quickly.
It is always best to have the patient examined by a trained physician...
Therefore, there is not a simple, single answer. I agree with those who say that patients with a history of seizure disorders who suffer from an exacerbation of their chronic condition, may not require immediate evaluation and emergent treatment. Others, however, without a history of similar episodes, or those having their initial event, should be evaluated quickly.
It is always best to have the patient examined by a trained physician...
Feb 15, 2010, 1:34 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Boston Suburbrs
Programs: AA ExPlat, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 1,205
Second that. Patients with epilepsy have seizures with varying frequency -- some have dozens a day, some get them every few years or never when on meds. A new onset seizure is a big time emergency because it's usually symptomatic of a new structural chage in brain tissue -- there arent really many good ones. There are some less onerous ways to get your first seizure, and something like 5% of the population will have one sometime in their life. Still, unless you know its something the person does, the plane ought to get to ground. Also, if the person stays unresponsive, thats a bad thing whether there's ahistory of sz or not. I'm not talking sleepy or goofy or whatever -- thats "post-ictal" and common. I'm not an epileptologist, but I'm close....
Feb 16, 2010, 8:15 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: 1K 2010, 1P in 2011, Plat for 2012,13,14,15 & 2016. Gold in 17 & 18, Plat since
Posts: 8,825
My son had a seizure while descending on a crowded road on his bicycle at around 35mph. Because he recognized the warning signs (an "aura" which precedes the actual seizure by a number of seconds; this will vary from person to person), he was able to yell at me (I was in front of him) and he slowed down to a near-stop before falling over on the shoulder. Point being, just because somebody might have a seizure once in a while, it doesn't have to be something that limits everything in life. Obviously, for driving and flying, the risks to others associated with having a seizure are too great to allow. But please consider that people with epilepsy can, and usually do, lead very normal lives. Chances are you know some, and aren't aware of it.