Febrile seizures
What to do during a febrile seizure
If your child is having a febrile seizure, place them in the recovery position . Stay withyour childand try to make a note of how long the seizure lasts.
Don't put anything into your child's mouth during a seizureincluding medication as there's a slight chance they might bite their tongue.
Take your child to the nearest hospital or dial 999 for an ambulance if:
- your child is having a fit for the first time
- the seizure lasts longer than five minutes and shows no signs of stopping
- you suspect the seizure is being caused by another serious illness for example, meningitis
- your child is having breathing difficulties
While it's unlikely that there's anything seriously wrong,it's important to get your child checked.
Ifyour child has hadfebrile seizuresbefore and the seizure lasts for less than five minutes, phone your GP or NHS 111 for advice.
You should also contact your GP or NHS 111 if your child shows signs and symptoms of dehydration , a lack of fluid in the body.
This includes:
- a dry mouth
- sunken eyes
- a lack of tears when crying
- a sunken fontanelle the soft spot usually found at the top of a young child's head
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Read about febrile seizures, where a young child with a fever has a fit. Febrile seizures are relatively common and, in most cases, aren't serious.
Signs of a febrile seizure
A febrile seizure usually lasts for less than five minutes. Your child will: become stiff and their arms and legs may begin to twitch lose consciousness and may wet or soil themselves They ma
What to do during a febrile seizure
If your child is having a febrile seizure, place them in the recovery position . Stay withyour childand try to make a note of how long the seizure lasts. Don't put anything into your child's mouth du
Seeing a doctor
Febrile seizures canoften be diagnosed from a description of what happened.It's unlikely thata doctorwill see the seizure,so it's useful to note: how long the seizure lasted what happened such as b
Causes of febrile seizures
The cause of febrile seizures is unknown, although they're linked to the start of a fever, a high temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above. There may also be a genetic link to febrile seizuresthe chances
Recurring febrile seizures
About a third of children who have had a febrile seizure will have another one during a subsequent infection. This often happens within a year of the first one. Recurrence is more likely if: the fi
Complications of febrile seizures
Febrile seizures have been linked to an increased risk of epilepsy , as well as other problems. Recent research findings may indicate a link between febrile seizures and sudden unexplained death in c
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