Febrile Seizure : A type of seizure that impact children's

A child suffering a febrile seizure is one who is convulsing as a result of having a fever. Fever is frequently caused by an infection. Young, healthy children with normal development and no prior history of neurological problems may experience febrile seizures.

It may be frightening for you to witness your kid have a febrile seizure. Thankfully, febrile seizures are normally innocuous, only last a few minutes, and do not usually signify a significant medical issue.

You may assist by ensuring your child's safety throughout a febrile seizure and by providing support following it. After a febrile seizure, call your doctor to get your child assessed as soon as you can.

Causes

Frequent febrile seizures are typically brought on by elevated body temperatures. A febrile seizure can be brought on by even a low-grade fever.

Infection

More often than bacterial infections, fevers that cause febrile seizures are caused by viral illnesses. The two viruses that usually cause high fevers and the flu (influenza) and roseola appear to be most frequently linked to febrile seizures.

Vaccination-related seizures

The risk of febrile seizures may increase with some paediatric vaccinations. These include diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine as well as the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. A youngster may get a mild fever following vaccination. The temperature, not the injection, triggers the seizure.

How to check if you have Febrile Seizure?

After your child experiences their first febrile seizure, even if it just lasts a few seconds, take them to the doctor as soon as you can. If the seizure lasts more than five minutes or is accompanied by any of the following, call an ambulance to transport your child to the hospital:

• Vomiting
• A tense neck
• Breathing difficulties
• Excessive drowsiness

Risk Factors

A febrile seizure is more likely to occur when certain conditions exist, such as:

Being young. The majority of febrile seizures affect children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, with the risk being highest between the months of 12 and 18 months.

Family background. Some children have a familial predisposition to fever and seizures. Researchers have also connected a number of genes to a predisposition to febrile seizures.

Symptoms

A child having a febrile seizure frequently shakes erratically and passes out. The youngster may occasionally become quite stiff or twitch only in that particular area of the body.

When suffering a febrile seizure, a child may have the following: 

• Fever more than 100.4 F (38.0 C)
• Become unconscious
• Jerk or shake your arms and legs.

Simple or complicated febrile seizures are categorized as follows:

Straightforward febrile seizures.  The typical duration of this kind ranges from a few seconds to 15 minutes. Simple febrile seizures do not come back within a day and do not affect only one portion of the body.

Febrile seizures of complexity. This kind affects only one side of your child's body, lasts longer than 15 minutes, or happens more than once in a 24-hour period.

Febrile. Most frequently starting within a day after a fever, seizures might be a child's first indicator of illness.

Prevention

The majority of febrile seizures happen in the first few hours of a fever when the body temperature is beginning to rise.

Giving medicines to your child

At the start of a fever, giving your baby or children acetaminophen (Tylenol, among others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, among others) may make them feel better, but it will not stop them from having a seizure.

When administering aspirin to children or teens, exercise care. Although aspirin is safe to use in children above the age of three, it should never be administered to children or teens who are experiencing the symptoms of chickenpox or the flu. This is due to the fact that aspirin has been connected to Reye's syndrome, an uncommon but potentially fatal illness, in these children.

Prescription drugs for prevention

Anticonvulsant prescription drugs are seldom ever used to try to stop febrile seizures. These medication side effects can be severe and may exceed any potential advantages.

For children who are prone to lengthy febrile seizures, a prescription for rectal diazepam (Diastat) or nasal midazolam may be issued. These drugs are often used to treat children who have many seizures within a 24-hour period or who have seizures that last longer than five minutes. They are seldom applied to stop febrile seizures.

Treatments

The majority of febrile seizures end on their own in a matter of minutes. Keep your cool and take these actions if your child experiences a febrile seizure:

• On a soft, level area where they will not tumble, lay your infant on their side.
• Set a timer for the seizure.
• Remain nearby to look over and console your youngster.
• Keep your youngster away from anything sharp or rough.
• Loosen any constrictive or tight garments.
• Do not hold your youngster down or obstruct their movement.
• Do not let your youngster put anything in their mouth.

Call for immediate medical help if:

• A febrile seizure in your child lasts more than five minutes.
• Your child has had several seizures.
• Even if your child's seizure lasted less than five minutes, they are not getting well right away.

More severe incidents

To halt a seizure that lasts longer than five minutes, a doctor may prescribe medication.

 Your child's doctor might decide to admit the youngster for observation if:

• The seizure lasts a while.
• The infant is under six months old.
• There is a severe infection present along with the seizure.
• Even when the infection's source is unknown, uncomplicated febrile seizures do not often need a hospital stay.

Complications of Febrile Seizure

Most febrile seizures have no long-term consequences. Simple febrile seizures do not cause brain damage, intellectual disability, or learning difficulties in your child and are not a sign of a more serious underlying illness.

Epilepsy is not indicated by febrile seizures, which are induced seizures. A disorder called epilepsy is characterized by repeated, unprovoked seizures that are brought on by aberrant electrical activity in the brain.

Periodic febrile seizures

The likelihood of further febrile seizures is the most frequent consequence. Recurrence is more likely if:

• The first seizure that your child had was brought on by a little fever.
• The initial symptom of the sickness was a febrile seizure.
• There is a history of febrile seizures in one direct family member.
• When the first febrile seizure occurred, your child was under 18 months old.

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