This year, New Trier High School has begun hanging seizure first aid signs from the Epilepsy Foundation of America in classrooms to both raise awareness and inform staff, especially substitute teachers, and peers about seizure procedures. 

The signs seen in classrooms highlight the six steps of what to do in the event of a seizure, emphasizing the importance of staying with the person and moving them away from all potentially dangerous objects.

This protocol was introduced to the school in part by Northfield Campus nurse Analia Elizalde, who developed first aid programs when she was seeking her doctorate degree.

“One thing that came to my attention was that I saw teachers needing to know more about first aid,” Elizalde said. “I wanted to know what I could do to spread this training to everyone.”

While the seizure first aid safety will not be directly discussed in all classrooms, New Trier staff, particularly Special Education teachers and security guards, will receive training from certified ambassadors from the Epilepsy Foundation of America, like Elizalde, prior to school and on late start days throughout the school year. 

“Even if someone receives training, in a moment of emergency it’s really hard sometimes to remember all of your training, especially if you are being trained on what to do in different medical training because the first aid is different,” Winnetka Campus school nurse Rebecca Boston said, emphasizing the importance of the signs as a reminder in classrooms.

In addition to instructing staff on the appropriate response to someone having a seizure, Elizalde is also teaching employees how to administer nasal seizure medication. This medication is essential for stopping seizures and preventing long-term brain damage.

“We have been really lucky to have students and staff that have done a really good job of responding,” Boston said. “Several times a year we have students who have seizures at school, and because their teachers and classmates respond so beautifully, they have really good outcomes.” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 1 in 10 Americans will have a seizure in their lifetime. This high number demonstrates the prominence of seizures in American life and the significance of proper seizure first aid training. 

“The more we share this information with our staff and the more people are trained, the safer everybody is, even adults,” Elizalde said.