Please take the time to read this quick article, so you can be prepared if your child experiences a fever induced seizure, known as a febrile seizure. Any child can have a febrile seizure, but some are more prone than others. If you don't know what to expect, they can be terrifying. Febrile Seizures are described by the Mayo Clinic as "a convulsion in young children that may be caused by a sudden spike in body temperature, often from an infection. Watching your child experience a febrile seizure can be alarming. And, although a febrile seizure may last only a few minutes, it may seem like an eternity to you."
My son, who is now two, first had a febrile seizure around age one. He wasn't showing any signs of illness. He just seemed... off. He seemed very limp and tired. At the time, I wasn't sure what was going on, but it was around naptime, so I thought maybe he was overly tired. My husband and I were trying to figure out why he was crying, and all of a sudden, he began to seize. His body jerked, eyes rolled back in his head, and foamed at the mouth. Once he stopped seizing, he had a vacant look in his eyes, and just drooled. We had no idea what was going on, and rushed to the hospital. He had a fever of 103.7.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "febrile seizure symptoms can range from mild - rolling of the eyes - to more severe shaking or tightening of the muscles. A child having a febrile seizure may:
Have a fever usually higher than 102 F (38.9 C)
Lose consciousness
Shake or jerk the arms and legs on both sides of the body
Roll his or her eyes back in the head
Have trouble breathing
Most febrile seizures occur because of a sudden spike in body temperature, and most occur during the first day of a fever. But a febrile seizure may also develop as the fever is declining. The severity of the signs and symptoms doesn't necessarily reflect the level of the fever either. They can be caused by fevers associated with viral or bacterial infections or post-immunization fevers and are most likely to occur in children between 6 months and 5 years of age. About 1 in 25 children experience a febrile seizure and it is possibly genetically inherited."
WHAT TO DO:
Don't restrain your child, but do place him or her on a safe surface, such as a carpeted floor.
Place your child on his or her side, keeping the face to the side and the lower arm extended under the head, to prevent your child from inhaling vomit if vomiting occurs.
Stay close to watch and comfort your child.
Loosen any tight or restrictive clothing.
If your child had anything in his or her mouth when the seizure began, remove it. And, don't place anything in your child's mouth during a seizure because doing so can cause choking.
If a seizure lasts longer than five minutes, seek emergency care.
It's not necessary to lower your child's fever to stop a febrile seizure. So don't try to give your child fever medications during a seizure. For the same reason, don't place your child in a cooling tub of water. It's much more practical, more comfortable - and safer - for your child to remain lying on the carpet or a bed.
Most febrile seizures stop on their own within a couple of minutes. If your child has a febrile seizure that lasts more than five minutes - or if your child has repeated seizures - call for emergency medical attention. Giving your child acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) at the first indication of fever will help reduce the fever, but won't necessarily prevent a seizure.
I am not a doctor, so if you have questions, please contact your pediatritian. Much of this information was provided by the Mayo Clinic. If you would like more information, please visit www.mayoclinic.com/health/febrile-seizure/DS00346
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