Febrile seizures occur when the child has a fever. It often occurs only when the temperature of the body is above 38 ° and the seizure usually lasts for minutes or less, though in some few cases it may be longer.
Children between the ages of 6 months to five years are more likely to have febrile seizure and are more likely to stop after the child is over the age of six. In spite how awful these seizures look and the great concern which affects the parents it is safe to say that these seizures has no effects on the child in the long run.
|
|
|
However, it is important for the parents to consult a doctor when these seizures happen to further investigate other possible causes and to search for the cause behind the high temperature in the absence of other symptoms.
Febrile seizure is the most common types of seizures in children at all times and affect about 4% of children under the age of four. Many children might have it only once and never reoccur, however, some children have a tendency to get seizures whenever they have a fever.
What happens to the child?
When a febrile seizure happens the child might have the followings:
- Jerky body movements.
- Up-rolling of both eyes.
- Salivation
- Urine incontinence
- Loss of consciousness.
At the end of the seizure, the child may sleep for an hour or more or still be awake with nothing but headache, irritability and discomfort. |
|
Why is this happening to my child?
Febrile seizure occurs when the body temperature suddenly and rapidly becomes above 38 °. This rise in the body temperature may be for any reason, such as acute tonsillitis, an ear infection or other known causes of acute fever. There is also a serious and dangerous cause such as meningitis. In this case, medical intervention is urgent and specific actions such as taking a sample of the spinal fluid to make sure the child is free from such infection is necessary.
|
|
|
|
What can be done?
When febrile seizure accompanies high body temperature for the first time or when the child becomes dizzy, not able to stand on his feet, sequential vomiting or stiffness in the neck, all of these symptoms require an urgent visit to the child doctor or to the emergency to do an assessment and get the necessary investigation like blood and urine tests to make sure that the child is free from any serious infections which gives the same symptoms and start early treatment.
Taking a sample of the spinal fluid is done in the outpatient clinic or in the ER while the child is sedated. A sample of the fluid is taken by placing a needle in the lower back after placing a local anesthetic. The analysis of the spinal fluid will show any signs of meningitis.
When the seizure happens, there are some precautions to be done for the protection of the child, including:
- To prevent choking, the child should be placed on his or her side.
- Remove any sharp or heavy objects away from the child.
- Stay close to the child
- Do not try to stop the seizure and leave the child until the seizure ends on its own.
- Remove some of the baby's clothes, especially when they’re tight or when the baby is exposed to shortness of breath.
- Try to be calm as possible and deal with the situation neatly away from any panicking.
|
|
Febrile seizures and epilepsy in children:
Children are more likely to have epilepsy like adults however, what distinguishes febrile seizures from epilepsy seizures is that febrile seizures only occur when there is a fever. Epilepsy seizures may happen to the child without the body high temperature. In any case, febrile seizures may happen more frequent in children epilepsy when there is a fever.
What is the treatment?
Most febrile seizures stop on their own after a couple of minutes. However, when it happens for the first time, you should seek a doctor for the reasons we already mentioned above. If the child is known to have these febrile seizures it is safe to take him to the doctor if the seizure lasted for a long time or happened more than once per day.
|
|
|
|
How can I prevent the febrile seizures from happening?
If the parents already know that their child is more likely to have febrile seizures when his body temperature rises up, they should try to control the fever by giving the child fever-lowering drugs or by using a cold pack.
There is a medication as a rectal suppository to prevent febrile seizures that given to a child only when there is a fever to abort the seizures before they occur. |
|
|
|