As a mother, you can recognize the symptoms of a febrile attack. Although a febrile seizure that lasts less than 15 minutes does not cause any health problems, it can be very scary for your child. You should know about the symptoms of a febrile attack and what to do if your child is having a febrile attack.
What are febrile seizures?
Febrile seizures are a type of convulsions that usually occur in children during fever. There is a possibility of febrile seizures in children between 06 months to 05 years of age. A febrile seizure does not mean that your child may have epilepsy because epilepsy can occur without a fever.
Fever can be caused due to viral infection or bacterial infection, due to which there are more febrile seizures along with fever. Fever can also occur post-vaccination like diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus or measles mumps rubella vaccine. In such cases, seizures occur due to fever and not due to vaccination.
Febrile seizures: types and symptoms
Children suffering from fever may have a high fever, may become unconscious, may shake or twitch their arms and legs uncontrollably. Symptoms and types of fever may vary.
Simple febrile seizure
This is the most common type. These symptoms last for less than 15 minutes and are not limited to one part of the body.
Complex febrile seizure
It lasts for more than 15 minutes and is limited to one side of the body. This happens more than once within 24 hours.
What to do if your child has a fever attack?
It is important to supervise your child when he or she experiences a febrile seizure. The following steps can be taken the first time a seizure occurs:
Observe the duration of the febrile seizure. If the seizure lasts more than 05 minutes or your child is not breathing, immediately take your child to the hospital for treatment.
Place babies on a safe surface to avoid any accidents during a seizure. Keep sharp objects and furniture away.
In any case, do not try to restrain the child.
Make the child lie on his left side or on his stomach. Do not put anything in the child’s mouth as it may stop his breathing.
You should seek emergency medical attention whenever a febrile seizure occurs; do not try to stop the seizure by holding the child down.
Once an attack occurs, take the child to the hospital immediately to investigate the cause of the fever. If your child has a stiff neck, fatigue, or vomiting, these could be symptoms of meningitis, an infection of the covering of the brain.
Your doctor can choose the best treatment for your child’s seizures. Your child may be at increased risk for seizures; febrile seizures do not require treatment other than reducing the fever. Febrile seizures are usually harmless and do not affect your child’s physical or mental abilities. In any case, consult your child’s pediatrician.