Fact Checked
A febrile seizure is simply a convulsion that develops in some children with fever. In most cases of febrile seizures, they are not serious. Most manifest with common conditions such as common cold or ear infections. Complete recovery is achievable without any lasting damage. The aim of treatment is to manage the condition that triggered fever.
The seizures typically occur among children before reaching the age of 6 years old. Most cases occur between the ages 18 months up to 3 years. It is uncommon to occur among children aged below 3 months and over 6 years old.
Types of febrile seizures
Simple
- An episode occurs early in the disease if the temperature starts to rise. The child appears hot and flushed while the eyes roll backwards. The body stiffens and generally twitch or shake. The child loses consciousness and becomes unresponsive. In some cases, the child might wet themselves during an episode.
- An episode does not last long, usually only a few seconds. After an episode, the child becomes sleepy for a few minutes. After an hour, the child appears better which occurs if the temperature drops.
Complex
- An episode lasts longer than 15 minutes and/or recurs within 24 hours.
- Child does not fully recover within an hour.
- Seizure is focal which means that only a part of the body shakes.
Febrile status epilepticus
- A seizure lasts longer than 30 minutes.
First aid
- Take note of the time the seizure started.
- Position the child on his/her side with the head tilted slightly back. This will ensure that the child will not swallow any vomitus that can lead to choking as well as clearing the airway.
- Avoid placing anything inside the mouth or shake the child.
- Once the seizure stops, try to lower down the temperature of the child to make him/her comfortable. This can be done by removing the clothes if the room is warm.