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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.

There is no evidence that febrile seizures cause brain damage. Large studies have found that children with febrile seizures have normal school achievement and perform on intellectual tests as well as their siblings who do not have seizures. Even in the rare cases of very prolonged seizures (more than one hour), most children recover completely.

About 95 to 98 percent of children who have experienced febrile seizures do not develop epilepsy. However, although the absolute risk remains very low, some children who have febrile seizures face an increased risk of developing epilepsy. These children include those who had long febrile seizures, which affect only part of the body or that recur within 24 hours, and children with cerebral palsy, delayed development, or other neurological abnormalities. Among children who have none of these risk factors, only one in 100 develops epilepsy after a febrile seizure.