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Archive for the ‘Febrile Seizures’ Category

How do you prevent febrile seizures?

When a child has a fever most parents use drugs such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce fever and to make the child more comfortable, although there are no studies that prove that this reduces the risk of a seizure.

One preventive measure would be to try to reduce the number of illnesses with fever, although this is not a practical possibility. Daily use and prolonged oral anticonvulsants such as phenobarbital or valproate, to prevent febrile seizures is not recommended due to potential side effects and because their effectiveness for preventing such seizures is controversial. Read the rest of this entry »

What should be done by a child with febrile seizures?

Parents should stay calm and carefully observe the child. To prevent accidental injuries, the child should be placed on a protected surface such as the floor or ground. The child should not be held or restrained during a convulsion.

To prevent choking, the child should be placed on their side or stomach. If possible, a parent should gently remove any object in the child’s mouth. Parents should never place anything in the child’s mouth during a seizure. Objects placed in the mouth can be broken and obstruct the child’s airway.

If the seizure lasts longer than 10 minutes, the child should be taken immediately to the nearest medical facility for treatment. After the seizure, the child should be taken to your physician to determine the source of the fever. This is especially urgent if the child shows symptoms of stiff neck, extreme lethargy, or abundant vomiting. Read the rest of this entry »

What makes a child prone to recurrent febrile seizures?

Some factors seem to increase the risk of children suffering from recurrent febrile seizures include: a first febrile seizure at an early age (less than 15 months), frequent fevers and having close relatives with history of febrile seizures. If the seizure occurs soon after onset of fever or when the temperature is relatively low, the risk of recurrence is higher. A first febrile seizure does not increase substantially over the risk of recurrent febrile seizures long or short.

Are febrile seizures harmful?

Although they can be frightening to parents, the vast majority of febrile seizures are harmless. During a seizure, there is a small chance that the child may be injured by falling or may choke from food or saliva in the mouth. Giving first aid for seizures can help avoid these hazards. Read the rest of this entry »

What are febrile seizures?

Febrile seizures in infants and young children are seizures caused by fever. During a febrile seizure, the child often loses consciousness and extremecen, moving limbs on both sides. Less commonly, the child becomes rigid or has twitches in only a portion of the body such as an arm or leg, or left or right side only. Most febrile seizures last a minute or two, although some can be as short as a few seconds while others last for more than 15 minutes.

Most children with febrile seizures have rectal temperatures greater than 102 degrees F. Most febrile seizures occur during the first day of fever in children.

It is considered that children prone to febrile seizures have epilepsy, since epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures that are triggered by fever. Read the rest of this entry »