Febrile seizures (or febrile convulsions) are seizures (fits) that can happen when a child has a fever. A fever is usually caused by an infection.
Febrile seizures are most common between the ages of 6 months and 3 years.
It can be frightening to see your child having a seizure, especially for the first time. But the seizures are usually harmless and most children make a complete recovery.
Having a febrile seizure does not mean your child has epilepsy. But it does mean they have a higher risk of having another seizure in the future.
Signs of a febrile seizure
A febrile seizure usually lasts less than 5 minutes.
During a seizure, your child may:
- become stiff
- twitch or jerk their arms or legs
- lose consciousness
- wet or soil themselves
- vomit
Their eyes may also roll back. And their lips or skin may change colour, going pale or blue.
After the seizure, they may be sleepy for up to 1 hour.
Simple febrile seizure
A simple febrile seizure is a seizure that:
- affects your child's whole body
- lasts less than 15 minutes
- only happens once during 24 hours
- your child fully recovers from
Complex febrile seizures
A complex febrile seizure is a seizure that may:
- last longer than 15 minutes
- reoccur within 24 hours
- affect just part of the body
- cause temporary weakness or other problems after the seizure ends
What to do during a seizure
Do
-
put them in the recovery position
-
make sure they are in a safe place
-
loosen any tight clothing around the neck
-
stay with them
-
note how long the seizure lasts
Don't
-
do not put anything into your child's mouth, including medicine or your fingers - there's a slight chance they will bite their tongue
-
do not try to restrain them
Emergency action required: Phone 112 or 999 or go to an emergency department (ED) if:
- this is your child's first seizure
- the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes
- you think the seizure is caused by another serious illness, such as meningitis
- your child is having difficulty breathing
- your child does not wake up when the seizure stops
There may not be anything seriously wrong. But it's important to get them checked.
Driving to hospital
You may prefer to drive your child to the hospital. Only drive if another adult can go with you. You need 1 person to drive and the other to take care of your child on the way.
Contact your GP if
your child has a seizure and they:
- had seizures before, lasting less than 5 minutes
- have signs of dehydration, such as headache or fewer wet nappies
Managing dehydration in babies and children
Diagnosing febrile seizures
Your GP can often diagnose febrile seizures from a description of what happened.
It's unlikely they'll see the seizure so it's useful to note:
- how long the seizure lasted
- what happened - such as body stiffening, twitches, staring, and loss of consciousness
- how long it took for your child to recover - for example, within an hour
- if this was your child's first seizure
The GP may do blood or urine tests if they are not sure what caused your child's illness.
Further tests
Your GP may advise you to take your child to the hospital if they need further tests and observation.
Tests may include:
- an electroencephalogram (EEG) - to check for epilepsy
- a lumbar puncture - to check for an infection of the brain or nervous system
Your child might also need to go to hospital if they're having complex febrile seizures, particularly if they're under 12 months old.
Preparing your child for hospital
Causes of febrile seizures
Febrile seizures are linked to a high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above. The exact cause of febrile seizures is unknown, although there may be a genetic link.
The high temperature is usually due to an infection such as:
- chickenpox
- flu
- tonsillitis
In rare cases, febrile seizures can happen after a child has a vaccination. A seizure after a vaccination does not increase the risk of having another seizure.
Recurring seizures
About 1 in 3 children who has a febrile seizure has another during a future infection. This often happens within 1 year of the first seizure.
Another seizure is more likely if your child:
- was under 18 months old when they had the first seizure
- had a high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above for less than 1 hour before the first seizure
- had a complex febrile seizure
- goes to a crèche or other childcare - this increases their risk of getting common childhood infections
Another seizure is also more likely if there's a history of seizures or epilepsy in your family.
Your child should not take regular medicines to prevent seizures. This is because the side effects of medicines often outweigh the risks of a seizure.
In some cases, your GP may recommend medicine to take at the start of a high temperature. For example, if your child often has seizures when ill or has prolonged seizures.
Complications
Many parents worry that if their child has febrile seizures, they'll develop epilepsy.
There is an increased risk of developing epilepsy but the risk is small. Children with a history of simple febrile seizures have a 1 in 50 chance of developing epilepsy in later life. There is a 1 in 20 chance with complex febrile seizures.
Sometimes parents worry that febrile seizures might cause brain damage. Even though febrile seizures can be frightening for parents, they do not usually harm the brain.
