Seizures are a frightening side effect of fevers that can
occur in some children. “Febrile
seizures” occur in 2 to 4 percent of children under age 5. Approximately one in
every 25 children will have at least one febrile seizure, and some of them will
have additional febrile seizures before they outgrow the tendency to have them. Febrile seizures tend to run in families and
are more common in boys than girls. They
may cause jerking movements in the body or look like “passing out.” Some children may feel sleepy afterward, and
others feel no lasting effects.
While they are frightening, febrile seizures usually end
without treatment and do not cause other health problems. For example, they do
not mean that a child will have epilepsy or brain damage. A high fever can
cause seizures, but they are usually caused by a sudden or rapid elevation in
temperature, even if it is a small amount.
Reducing fever does not prevent seizures, and most occur during the
first day of a child’s fever. Children may have a febrile seizure before it is
known that they have a fever. This type
of seizure affects the entire body, not just one side.
If a child has a seizure, put the child on his or her
side on a protected surface. Do NOT put
anything in the child’s mouth. A person
who is seizing cannot swallow their tongue and usually are breathing. Do not try to hold or restrain the
child. These seizures normally last less
than 5 minutes, some are as brief as a few seconds. If the seizure lasts more
than 5 minutes, call 911. After the
seizure is over, you may give the child fever-reducing medications, or put them
in lukewarm water to cool them off.
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