Live Life Team
Febrile seizure is commonly known as fits and is seen in children with fever – featuring an increase of temperature up to 38°C (101°F), or above. Often it is an infection or an inflammatory response that causes a febrile seizure. Children aged between six months to 5 years are prone to develop this condition.
This disease is neither common nor rare. They are classified into two types:
Simple febrile seizures – the child has seizure activity not greater than fifteen minutes and does not re appear during the course of infection.
Complex febrile seizures – if the child has seizure activity greater than 15 minutes and suffers from repeated episodes of seizure activity.
Extending up to seventy five percentages of the cases, the simple type is commonly seen. The child’s body gets stiff, becomes unconscious, and twitching of arms and legs takes place during a seizure activity. It usually lasts only for three to six minutes. Following the seizure activity the child may look stunned and confused. Almost an hour is required for them to recover.
Causes
Genetic factors are found to have great influence upon the likelihood to develop febrile seizures.
Conditions associated with febrile seizures are viral infections including chicken pox, influenza etc, infection involving middle ear, tonsillitis, gastroenteritis, Urinary tract infection (UTI), infections of lower respiratory tract including pneumonia and any infection affecting stomach, intestines etc.
Febrile seizures and vaccinations:
There is also possibility for children developing seizure associated with some vaccinations. MMR vaccination is expected to produce seizures in children. But do not bother this as the effect of these deadly diseases is so severe in comparison to the febrile seizure episodes.
Symptoms
The symptoms of a febrile seizure are evident even on the very 1st day of fever.
Stiffening of the child’s body and twitching of their arms and legs are the common indications. Simple Febrile seizures will cause a child’s body to go stiff and it will also result in twitching of their arms and legs. The child may be unconscious and may pass urine or motion. The child may also throw up and mouth may be filled with foam. The whole activity is over within five minutes. The child may appear drowsy because of the seizure episode.
Complex febrile seizures
In this case the seizure activity lasts more than fifteen minutes and even there are repeated attacks of seizure. Another noticeable feature is a focal that involves twitching of only a part of the body.
Treatment
Position the child on one side on a flat, firm surface. Tilt their head to a side so that aspiration of vomitus can be prevented. This in turn will avoid the blocking of airways. Do not insert anything into the child’s mouth during a seizure activity.
Treating the symptoms of fever
Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be administered to lower the body temperature. Children below i6 years should not be treated with aspirin. Remove all extra clothes and improve the air circulation.
