Patient Information Leaflet Ambo University Referral Hospital

Febrile Convulsions

This leaflet is for parents whose children have been diagnosed with having a febrile convulsion. It will tell you what this is and how to manage it, should it happen again. If you have any further questions or concerns, please speak to the staff member in charge of your child’s care.

What are febrile convulsions?
Febrile convulsions are a type of fit (seizure) that is triggered by a high temperature in a child. They normally happen between the ages of six months and five years. Approximately five in every one hundred children will have a febrile convulsion by the time they are six years old.

What causes febrile convulsions?
Febrile convulsions occur when children have a temperature usually above 38
degrees Celsius. They can be more common if someone else in the family has had them before. Children who have common viral illnesses such as ear, throat and chest infections and also bacterial infections such as a urinary tract infection may develop these high temperatures.

What are the signs and symptoms of febrile convulsions?
Febrile convulsions can be very scary for the parent and/or caregiver. However they are unlikely to cause harm to your child.

• Most febrile convulsions last between one and five minutes.
• Your child will become dazed and confused.
• They may fall to the floor.
• Your child will become stiff and botharms and legs may start jerking or twitching.
• Their eyes may roll backwards.
• Many children will wet or soil themselves or may bite their tongue.
• After the convulsion has finished they are likely to be sleepy.

Febrile convulsions are described as either ‘simple’ or ‘complex’.
‘Simple’ convulsions will last less than 15 minutes and will not happen again during
the same illness.
‘Complex’ convulsions will last more than 15 minutes, affect only one side or part of
the body and/or happens again within the same illness.

What do you do if a child is having a febrile convulsion?

• Try to stay calm and make a note of the time when the convulsion starts.
• Stay with the child while the convulsion is happening.
• Ensure the child is safe from harm and move any hard or sharp objects from nearby.
• The safest position in which to put the child is the recovery position with their head tilted slightly backwards.
• Loosen any clothing, especially around the neck.
• If the convulsion lasts longer than 5 minutes or the child does notrecover quickly then you should call for medical help.

Can febrile convulsions be prevented?
Unfortunately febrile convulsions cannot be prevented, they usually happen at the start of illness when the temperature is rising rapidly. You can give:

• Paracetamol four hourly; you must not give more than four doses in 24 hours.
• Ibuprofen 6-8 hourly; you must not give more than three doses in 24 hours.

These will make your child feel more comfortable and reduce their temperature but they do not prevent the convulsion from happening. You must encourage your child to drink lots of fluids when they are unwell. It is not advised that you cool your child down by using water, stripping down and using fans directly on them, but you should remove any extra clothing.

Can a child have more than one febrile convulsion?

Yes, children have a one in three chance of having another febrile convulsion during episodes of illness.
 

Is my child at risk of developing Epilepsy?
The risk of epilepsy after a simple febrile seizure is 2.0–7.5%.