Epilepsy is tough to handle; with the prognosis of sudden unexplainable death, it is hard for anyone and their family to handle the trauma. What’s worse is that you never know when and how the seizure attacks will happen. The kind of seizures you have, where you are, what you have been doing when the attack happens, who you are with, and how equipped are they to deal with such situation determine the severity of the attack. If you have a well-controlled epilepsy, any kind of accidental injury may not be a problem, but if you do not have a controlled one, the situation may be cumbersome, to say the least.

The dangerous spots in your home that could be fatal would be water, heat, and electricity. Herein, we provide some useful tips to install some safety precautions in your home:

Bathroom
Most of the accidents happen in the bathroom. A lot of adjustments have to be made mostly in the bathroom.

• Firstly, remove the locks from the bathroom. Even better, from all the rooms. This should be the rule of the house. Imagine someone having a seizure in a bathroom that is locked. Just to break open the door could take away those precious moments to save a life. Instead, you could hang a swinging sign which says “occupied.”
• Ensure the hinge of the door is set in such a way that it opens outwards. In that way, even if you fall on the door, it can still be easily opened
• Remove any sharp edges inside the bathroom, like the cabinet edges and any other furniture that you might have. Use foam to cover the edges
• Remove bath tubs and use a simple shower. This drastically reduces the risk of water building up and the risk of drowning.
• Ensure to install non-skid strips on the floor to ensure there is no skidding possibility.
• Ensure the water temperature is kept lukewarm to avoid any chances of burning
• Be wary of electronics like hair dryer, flat irons, and electric razors. Ensure that they are turned off.

Kitchen

• If you are living alone, you might want to invest in a food processor. Avoid using knives to chop ingredients.
• A microwave would be a safe bet than an open flame of a stove. If you still prefer a stove, consider an electric one.
• Avoid binging hot pans and pots to the dining room. Instead, take the plate and dishes to the pots and pans.
• Avoid breakable cutlery.
• Your dining chair should ideally have an armrest so that it prevents you from falling.

Living room

• Keep it simple and less messy.
• Anchor televisions and other heavy items on a shelf or even better on the wall. Wrap up those wires and cables properly and keep them away from reach.
• Ensure to install corner guards on all furniture. Glass furniture is a complete no-no.
• If you have a fireplace get a screen and if you have a radiator, get a proper cover.

Bedroom

• Wall-to-wall padding on the floor or even a thick carpet is a good idea.
• Sleep on a lower platform with a mattress than a normal bed. The fall from a normal bed will still be high compared to a lower one.
• Do not use too many pillows.
• Consider installing a monitor in the room if you are alone so that it alerts someone nearby for help.