Seizures can be terrifying to witness – I can only imagine. Approximately 3-8% of children under 5 years old will experience a febrile seizure. That is, a seizure caused by a child being unwell with a fever. Thankfully, these seizures only last a few minutes and are rarely harmful to the child. Nonetheless, being well-informed on seizures and knowing what to do can help parents get their child appropriate care.
What do febrile seizures look like and what can you do?
When a child is having a seizure, you may notice: stiffening of limbs, uncontrolled jerking movements, lip smacking or odd tongue movements, and/or their eyes rolling back. Seizures also often cause a loss of consciousness, so the child will be unresponsive. At this point, it’s important to remove any objects in the area that may cause harm to the child. Do not try to restrain the child, but rather ensure they are safe and comfortable. Using something soft (such as a jacket) as a pillow to support the head can be useful.
After the seizure, the child may be sleepy or confused. Let the child determine when they are ready to get up, and make sure not to give any food or drinks before the child is fully alert.
If possible, it’s also a good idea to time the length of the seizure – as this can be important information for your doctor. If a febrile seizure lasts more than 3 minutes, call the ambulance immediately.
When to seek immediate medical attention:
- If the child is less than 12 months old.
- If the seizure continues for more than 3 minutes.
- If the child is not behaving normally 20-30 minutes after the seizure.
- If the child has more than one seizure within 24 hours.
- If the child has a seizure without a fever.
What are the risk factors for febrile seizures?
There are a few known risk factors for children experiencing febrile seizures. However, almost half of the children that have febrile seizures do not have any risk factors at all.
- There is a genetic component to febrile seizures. If there is a family history of febrile seizures, the risk increases.
- Generally, a febrile seizure will happen at the peak temperature during the illness. This temperature change may come on suddenly. However, using fever medications does not prevent a seizure, nor shorten its duration.
- Children with neurodevelopmental delays are at higher risk for febrile seizures.
- Some vaccines can increase the risk of febrile seizures. (However, because febrile seizures rarely cause harm, this risk factor should not necessarily discourage vaccinations.)
What can the doctor do?
It’s important to have your child assessed by your healthcare provider if they have had a febrile seizure. The doctor will ask about the seizure in detail, and perform necessary tests to ensure that the seizure was truly a non-significant febrile seizure and not a sign of a more serious condition.
My child had a confirmed febrile seizure, now what?
Thankfully, brief febrile seizures do not cause brain damage. Your child is healthy and does not need to be treated any differently – just be aware that they may develop seizures in response to fevers. About 30% of children with one febrile seizure will have another, however they usually outgrow this. Colds and flus, along with fevers, are a normal part of childhood and should not be feared, even with the risk of a febrile seizure. Be prepared to keep your child safe in the event of a febrile seizure, and call for help if necessary.
References
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/heal/heal-handout-febrile-seizure.pdf
Sidhu, R., Velayudam, K., & Barnes, G. (2013). Pediatric seizures. Pediatrics in review, 34(8), 333-41.
