Actress Busy Philipps is opening up about a harrowing experience her 15-year-old daughter had earlier this month.
In a new episode of her "Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best" podcast, titled "Don't Get Crushed," the "Cougar Town" alumna revealed that her oldest daughter Birdie had a seizure during a movie outing with a friend in Sweden.
Philipps told her creative partner Caissie St. Onge that she and ex Marc Silverstein, Birdie's father, had been home one morning in New York when he received a phone call and started "screaming" for her.
"I went upstairs but then I heard like, his voice and I knew something was really wrong. And he just said, 'It's Birdie, it's Birdie. She's had another seizure. The paramedics are on the phone,'" Philipps recalled.
Philipps explained that Birdie, who has been attending a boarding school in Sweden, was in Stockholm at the time, where there was close access to a local hospital, but that the event was nonetheless "chaotic." She added that it was "terrifying" as a parent to see her daughter without being near her in person.
"It was really awful seeing it like, on a screen, being in a different country, across an ocean," Philipps recalled.
The mother of two said Birdie previously had a seizure in March, and this second seizure was unexpected.
Philipps said she and Silverstein, along with their younger daughter Cricket, managed to catch a flight from New York City to Stockholm later that day and immediately went to see Birdie at the hospital.
"They were trying to get an MRI for her that day but then it just wasn't going to work out, so we're like, 'She should come with us to the hotel, I think, right?' And the doctor's like, 'Yeah, that's fine. She's fine. But she needs to be on anti-seizure medication,'" Philipps said.
Later that week, Philipps said they brought Birdie back to the U.S., and in addition to starting on anti-seizure medication, they plan on having her undergo testing.
What to know about seizures and kids
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seizures in children can occur when there is an electrical disturbance in the brain, which can cause involuntary movement, behavioral changes or changes in awareness. They can vary in kids depending on their age, type of seizure or response to treatment.
The CDC reports that seizures are relatively common, affecting approximately 1 in 10 people throughout their lifetimes, and can be triggered by a disorder called epilepsy or other medical issues, such as a high fever (febrile seizures), low blood sugar, or withdrawal from drugs or alcohol.
What to do when someone has a seizure
If a child or adult experiences a seizure, 911 should be called if the person has never had a seizure before, if they have difficulty breathing or waking up after the seizure, if the seizure lasts for more than five minutes, if another seizure comes on after the initial seizure, if the seizure occurs in water, and if the person has a condition such as diabetes, heart disease, or is pregnant.
Additional seizure first aid includes staying with the person until their seizure ends, remaining calm, helping the person sit in a safe place and explaining what happened to them after a seizure. For someone having a seizure characterized by muscle stiffening or jerking movements, the CDC recommends helping the person to the floor, moving them gently onto one side to aid breathing, clearing the area of anything sharp or hard, placing a soft item under their head and taking off eyeglasses or loosening any clothing items around the neck area, such as a tie.
For parents and caregivers, the CDC recommends starting and having an ongoing conversation with children about their seizures; their feeling surrounding their seizure disorder, if they have one; and how they want to be supported and what can help them feel safe.
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