A febrile seizure is a convulsion that occurs in young children when they are sick with a fever. These seizures can be frightening for parents to watch. Here's tell if your child is having a febrile seizure.
Instructions
Recognize a Febrile Seizure
1. Closely monitor a child who has a fever that's higher than 102 degrees or higher. This is when a febrile seizure is most likely to occur. The symptoms include a loss of consciousness, shaking or jerking arms and legs on both sides of the body, eyes rolling back in the head, trouble breathing, vomiting, or crying.
2. Evaluate the symptoms to see what type of febrile seizure the child is having. These seizures are classified as either simple or complex. A simple febrile seizure is the most common and can last from a few seconds to about 10 minutes. When the seizure is over, the child might cry or become extremely sleepy. A complex febrile seizure lasts for at least 15 minutes and occurs more than once in a 24 hour period.
3. Know what can trigger a febrile seizure. They are usually caused by a sudden spike in body temperature. The fevers that lead to these seizures are caused by an infection. This includes ear infections, roseola, and a viral infection that causes swollen lymph nodes. In rare cases, febrile seizures are caused by infections of the brain and spinal cord such as meningitis or encephalitis. Occasionally, febrile seizures are the result of fevers that come after a vaccination.
4. Know when to seek medical help for your child. If the seizure was brief, call the doctor when it's over and make an appointment to have your child evaluated. Take your child to the emergency room if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes or if the symptoms are severe.
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