Swimming With Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a common condition – 4% of the population will have a seizure at some time in their life and the prevalence of epilepsy is 0.5 – 1% of the population.  Defined as a transient electrical disturbance within the brain it leads to varying disturbances in consciousness and bodily function.

 

Thus, most swimming teachers and coaches will have a swimmer with epilepsy in their class or squad at some time, and in the vast majority of cases fits will be very well controlled with appropriate anti-convulsant medication.

 

It is important that the coach:-

 

ü  Be aware of the conditions

ü  Knows what to do if a swimmer has a seizure in the water or poolside

ü  Knows the factors which increase the likelihood of a fit happening in the pool

 

There is no reason why people with epilepsy can’t enjoy swimming as a hobby or compete at the highest level provided simple precautions are taken.  However it is sensible for the person with epilepsy to obtain his/her doctors permission to swim, ensure that control of the fits is optimal and make the pool authorities/coach know that they have epilepsy.

 

There are many forms of epilepsy classified into partial (no loss of consciousness) and generalised (loss of consciousness) and some common examples are:-

 

ü  Absences (petit mal) – just a transient lapse in consciousness or awareness lasting a few seconds

ü  Generalised tonic clonic fits (grand mal) – loss of consciousness, fall, tonic (stiffening) phase, clonic (rhythmical jerking), recovery with drowsiness and confusion

ü  Temporal lobe epilepsy – often starts with funny smells, sounds or tastes followed by convulsions

ü  Myoclonic epilepsy – brief muscle jerks

  

 

With all there is the risk of drowning and no sufferer from the condition should ever swim alone.  From a practical viewpoint this will mean training in an indoor pool with lifeguard facilities and resuscitation equipment.  A bright cap in a group can aid identification and it is useful to have a third party e.g. parent on the balcony/poolside to keep and additional eye on the swimmer.

 

Medication must be declared to doping control

 

What to do if a swimmer has a fit in the water:

 

ü  Reach the swimmer as soon as possible approaching from behind if generalised convulsions

ü  Aim to keep the head above water

ü  Once the convulsion is over remove from the water asap

ü  Place in the coma position on poolside to complete the recovery, keeping warm

ü  Resuscitate if breathing has stopped

 

Factors which increase the likelihood of a fit occurring during swimming:

 

ü  Overtiredness/over training and fatigue – therefore avoid

ü  Stress

ü  Shimmering lights on the water surface particularly from sunlight or fluorescent lights

ü  Cold water temperatures

ü  Infections/fever – therefore not to swim if inter current viral illness

ü  Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) – therefore use glucose replacement drinks during training

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