by Olaide Akande

Created on: August 16, 2009   Last Updated: August 18, 2009

Almost all children will experience the symptom of fever between the ages of 6months and five years. This fever can be caused by a variety of illnesses. Sometimes the fever may be so high as to trigger a seizure episode. This is known as a febrile convulsion and tends to run in families. Children outside of the above age range rarely get a febrile seizure.

Febrile seizure, though a frightening experience for most parents is a benign condition. Though it may occur on more than one episode in the same child, it is not synonymous with epilepsy and does not lead to it. It does not cause brain damage or affect your child's development. There is however a very slight increase in their chances of developing a seizure disorder when compared to the general population.

Causes

The cause of a febrile seizure as the name implies, is any illness that causes a fever as long as the illness is outside of the central nervous system. Hence infections of the brain and its coverings such as meningitis or encephalitis while they may produce a seizure, is not a cause of a febrile seizure. Common infections that cause a fever high enough to produce a convulsion include

The flu

Croup

Ear infections

Pneumonia

Urinary tract infection

Malaria fever

Symptoms

Your child will have had a fever for a few days or it may be within the first few hours of the fever. He or she may suddenly look peculiar, and may roll the eyes. There may be stiffening or jerking movements of the limbs with a brief loss of consciousness. This will usually last less than five minutes but may last up to fifteen minutes.

Treatment

The first and most important thing to do when experiencing your child convulse is not to panic. Then put the child in a safe area free of any likely cause of harm. A good position to place the child is on his left side or to turn his mouth one side. This will help prevent choking if she vomits. The seizure is usually brief and after it's over you should call the doctor. If however the child continues to seize, or does not regain consciousness, call for emergency help immediately.

If a child is hospitalized, they may be given anticonvulsants to stop an ongoing seizure or to prevent further ones from occurring. If it is indeed a febrile seizure, then the duration of the medications will usually be short, not exceeding 24-48hrs.

Further treatment will be to manage the underlying febrile illness which is often times a bacterial or viral infection. For these, an antibiotic or an antiviral medication may be prescribed by your doctor.

Preventing a recurrence is also essential. When a child with a history of febrile seizures has a fever, use of medications to help lower the fever will be appropriate. Be sure to consult your doctor as well. Other measures like tepid sponging will also help lower your child's body temperature and hence reduce the likelihood of a convulsion occurring.

Any infection producing a fever may cause your child to have a seizure. Experiencing this may terrify you but the key to treating it is preventing your child from harm while the fit is ongoing and making sure to call your doctor as soon as it is over. Prompt management of your child's fever in the future may also help reduce his chances of developing a febrile seizure.

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