Febrile Seizures

Febrile seizures are episodes of convulsions brought about by a rising fever in children. Seizures in most instances are alarming to parents. Thankfully, the vast majority of febrile seizures produce no lasting effects.

Febrile seizures are classified as simple or complex. Simple febrile seizures are not associated with an increased incidence of subsequent epilepsy. About 98 percent of children who have a febrile seizure will never be diagnosed with epilepsy. A complex febrile seizure lasts longer than 15 minutes, occurs more than once within 24 hours or is localized to one side of the body. With complex febrile seizures, there may be a slightly increased risk of subsequent seizures. Children with epilepsy, though, are more likely to have seizures when they have fever, because fever lowers the threshold for seizures.

Remember:

• » Not all seizures associated with fever are febrile seizures.
• » A physician should evaluate first-time febrile seizures as soon as possible.

When a seizure is taking place, there is not much you can do to actually stop the seizure. Your aim should be to prevent any injury to the child. Folowing steps will help in preventing injury.

• » Place your child on his or her side.
• » Remove any hard or sharp objects near your child.
• » Loosen tight or restrictive clothing that your child is wearing.
• » Do not restrain your child or interfere with your child's movements. Do not attempt to put anything in your child's mouth.

When to call a doctor

Remember that a physician must evaluate first-time febrile seizures as soon as possible. About 90 percent of febrile seizures will stop by themselves within 10 to 20 minutes. However, if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes - or if your child has two or more seizures - call for emergency medical attention.

A seizure is usually contolled by giving medication such as diazepam or lorazepam via the rectum or intravenously to stop the seizure. When the seizure is controlled, the doctor looks for the cause of the fever, which, led to the seizures. The fever is usually from a typical childhood illness, such as middle ear infection or a viral illness, or infections of the central nervous system like meningitis(a condition in which membranes surrounding the brain become infected).

Investigations:

In order to find the cause of fever or the seizures following investigations are usually ordered by the doctor.

• » Routine blood and urine tests.
• » Lumbars puncture (a procedure, which involves removing some spinal fluid through a needle placed in the lower back).
• » X-rays or CTScan

Use of antiepileptic medication as a first line of treatment is not recommended because:

• » Febrile seizures do not directly lead to brain damage, cerebral palsy or mental retardation. Febrile seizures are outgrown by 5 years of age and usually do not result in epilepsy.
  
  
• » Only about 30 percent of children who have one febrile seizure will ever have another one.