Febrile Convulsion in children
Simply put, a febrile convulsion is when a child has a fever and starts fitting or having seizures.
This commonly happens between the age of 6 months and 3 years.
1 in 20 children will have a febrile seizure at a point in time.
The first episode can really be frightening for parents to witness, but reassuringly, it does not carry any residual complications.
Any condition that causes a fever could lead to a febrile convulsion. Usually, the febrile convulsion will happen when a high body temperature – above 38 degrees – is reached.
Symptoms of a febrile convulsion can include:
- Jerking of the legs and arms
- Stiffness
- Loss of consciousness
- Sleeping for about an hour following the incident.
What to do during a febrile convulsion:
- Make sure the child is in a safe environment. Remove the child from every form of danger.
- Keep the child on his/her left side so that the child does not choke.
- Avoid putting anything into the mouth of the child
- Take note of the duration of the seizure.
- Once the seizure stops, remove any warm clothing on the child to help cool them down.
- Do not give a cold bath.
- If this is the FIRST time, take the child to the nearest emergency department or call an ambulance.
- If they have had febrile seizures before, allow them fully recover on their side.
- Only attempt to give paracetamol when they are fully awake and alert – but monitor them carefully.
- Take them to the clinic for assessment and treatment
Return to ‘Heart-Stopping Medical Emergencies that could happen at Home’
Read More: