Diabetic Seizures & What to Do
Diabetic seizures look a lot like epileptic grand mal seizures, but they're a lot more serious because they're caused by severely low blood glucose, which can be life threatening. An epileptic will usually come out a seizure without the need for medical intervention and be just fine. A diabetic, on the other hand, needs medical help and fast after a seizure in order to raise their blood glucose before their body starts to shut down. If a client has a seizure in your shop, it can be pretty scary, but knowing what to do can help.
If a diabetic is having a seizure, there are certain things that people who are close to them have probably been trained to do in the case of emergency, such as administering an emergency Glucagon injection, which causes a fast glucose spike. I wouldn't recommend anyone who hasn't been trained to try this, even if they know that the person carries one on them, and it could become a libel issue against the artist and/or tattoo shop for making a medical diagnosis and treating a medical condition without a license. But if the client has a friend there that knows what to do, back away and let them take control. However, if you're on your own when it happens, help them to the floor as gently as you can and hold them as still as you can until the seizure is over, keeping their head from hitting the ground. If it's possible, you can try to get them to drink some juice or soda while they're seizing, but that's easier said than done (and could again be considered "illegal" in some areas for you to make a medical diagnosis and treat it, even with something as benign as juice, because if for some reason the seizure is not due to low blood glucose, the extra sugar could actually make the problem worse). Once the seizure has stopped, they will likely be unconscious. Put something soft under their head while you call 911, or have someone else call 911 for you so you can support their head in case they start to seize again. Do not give them any candy, as they will likely choke on it, and keep their head turned sideways on the floor in case they vomit, which doesn't usually happen but it's better to be safe than sorry.
The Bottom Line
Diabetes may not be the worst disease out there, but it's still very serious and wrought with complications. If you're in doubt as to whether or not you should get a tattoo, talk to your doctor. If you're in doubt whether you should tattoo someone you know is diabetic, it might be better to walk away from the money in order to save a potential client from harm.
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