What are febrile seizures? — Seizures are waves of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. They can make you pass out, move, or behave strangely. “Febrile” means that a fever causes the seizure. A febrile seizure is a convulsion or seizure that occurs in a child with a fever. Febrile seizures occur in children ages 3 months to 6 years old. They often run in families.
Febrile seizures (FS) are common in children in Nigeria, with an incidence rate of 10–18%.
What causes Febrile Seizures?
Febrile seizures are typically caused by a viral or bacterial infection that raises the child’s body temperature. Some common causes of FS in Nigeria include malaria, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, septicemia, and viral infections. They are most common in children between 6 months and 5 years old.
How do I know if my child has a fever? — To find out if your child has a fever, take his or her temperature. The most accurate way is to take a rectal temperature. A rectal temperature higher than 100.4°F (38°C) is a fever.
What are the symptoms of a febrile seizure? — During a febrile seizure, a child usually passes out and has jerking movements of the arms, legs, or face. Most febrile seizures last less than 1 or 2 minutes. After a seizure, a child can be confused or sleepy.
Other symptoms of a febrile seizure may include:
¡ Staring blankly
¡ Eye twitching
¡ Stiffening of the body
¡ Jerking movements
¡ Loss of consciousness
¡ Drooling or vomiting
Although not as common, some febrile seizures last more than 15 minutes. After a longer seizure, a child can have short-term weakness in his or her arm or leg.
How can I help my child during a seizure?
Cooling the child down, giving anti-seizure medication if necessary, and monitoring the child’s vital signs
During a seizure, you should:
8 Put your child on his or her side
8 Not put anything in your child’s mouth or try to stop the jerking movements
8 Keep track of how long the seizure lasts – If it lasts more than 5 minutes, call for an ambulance or bring the child to the hospital immediately.
How do you prevent febrile seizure?
While febrile seizures cannot always be prevented, parents can take steps to reduce the risk:
Keep the child’s environment cool
Dress the child in light, breathable clothing
Monitor the child’s temperature regularly
Seek medical attention promptly if the child develops a fever
Does my child need to see a healthcare provider? — Yes. Take your child to the healthcare provider as soon as possible. He or she will want to make sure that your child’s fever isn’t caused by a serious infection. To do this, your healthcare provider might need to do tests.
How are febrile seizures treated? — If a febrile seizure stops on its own, it does not need to be treated. If a febrile seizure lasts more than 15 minutes, a healthcare provider might need to use anti-seizure medicines to stop it.
Your child might also get other treatments, such as:
8Medicines to bring down his or her fever
8Medicines to treat the infection that is causing the fever (if an infection causes the fever)
8Fluids to treat dehydration (if the infection is causing vomiting or diarrhea)
Will my child have more febrile seizures? — It’s possible. Children who have one febrile seizure have a higher chance of having another. Talk with your healthcare provider about how to treat any fevers that your child gets in the future.
If your child keeps having febrile seizures, your healthcare provider might prescribe medicine so that you can treat your child’s seizures at home.
Does febrile seizure cause brain damage? — No. A febrile seizure does not cause brain damage. It also does not mean that your child will have a life-long seizure condition.
MKO Abimbola holds a doctoral degree in physician associate studies from the United States of America. He is a Harvard Medical School scholar who specializes in Internal medicine, Acute care, Emergency Medicine, Geriatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgical services.
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