Patient education: Febrile seizures in children (The Basics)

What are febrile seizures? — Seizures are waves of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. They can make you pass out, or move or behave strangely. "Febrile" means that the seizure is caused by a fever. Febrile seizures occur in children ages 6 months to 5 years old. They often run in families.

How do I know if my child has a fever? — To find out if your child has a fever, take their temperature. The most accurate way is to take a rectal temperature (figure 1). But you can also take a temperature by mouth, armpit, ear, or forehead if needed. A temperature higher than 100.4°F (38°C) is a fever.

What are the symptoms of a febrile seizure? — During a febrile seizure, the child usually passes out and has jerking movements of the arms, legs, or face. Most febrile seizures last less than 5 minutes. After a seizure, the child might be confused or sleepy for a short time.

Although not as common, some febrile seizures last more than 15 minutes. After a longer seizure, a child can have short-term weakness in their arm or leg.

How can I help my child during a seizure? — During a seizure, you should:

●Put your child on their side.

●Do not put anything in your child's mouth or try to stop the jerking movements.

●Keep track of how long the seizure lasts – If it lasts more than 5 minutes, call for an ambulance (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1).

Does my child need to see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. Take your child to the doctor or nurse as soon as possible. They will want to make sure that your child's fever isn't caused by a serious infection. To do this, your doctor or nurse might need to do tests.

How are febrile seizures treated? — If a febrile seizure stops on its own, it does not need to be treated. If a febrile seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, a doctor might need to use anti-seizure medicines to stop it.

Your child might also get other treatments, such as:

●Medicines to bring down the fever

●Medicines to treat the infection that is causing the fever (if the fever is caused by an infection)

●Fluids to treat dehydration (if the infection is causing vomiting or diarrhea)

Will my child have more febrile seizures? — It's possible. Children who have 1 febrile seizure have a higher chance of having another. Talk with your doctor or nurse about how to treat any fevers that your child gets in the future.

If your child keeps having febrile seizures, your doctor might prescribe medicine so that you can treat your child's seizures at home.

Does a febrile seizure cause brain damage? — No. A febrile seizure does not cause brain damage. It also does not mean that your child will have a lifelong seizure condition. Your child's doctor can talk to you about whether your child has an increased risk of future seizures.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

●Your child has a seizure with or without a fever.

●Your child does not wake up or has behavior changes after a seizure.

●Your child has a stiff neck or trouble staying awake.

●Your child's seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, or is only on 1 side of the body or only affects 1 arm or leg.

More on this topic

Patient education: Seizures (The Basics)
Patient education: Fever in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Febrile seizures (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Seizures in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Treatment of seizures in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Fever in children (Beyond the Basics)