Febrile Seizure: Definition, Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

The cause of a febrile seizure in infants and young children is a high temperature or fever. This often occurs when they are sick and the body temperature will spike. Anything over 100.4 Fahrenheit is considered a fever in a child. The most accurate way to obtain a temperature for a child is through a rectal temperature. Taking a temperature under the arm, the forehead or in the ear is also acceptable but the readings will indicate a slightly higher or lower temperature.

A child who is experiencing a febrile seizure will often show signs of an illness before their temperature rises and they have a seizure. When they have a seizure it can be a small twitch of a body part lasting a second or it can be a more significant full-body shaking lasting several minutes, also known as tonic, clonic movements. There might be one side of the body involved in the seizure or it could be the entire body. If the child's seizure does not stop and continues after several minutes then 911 should be called. When the seizure is finished the child is often tired, even if it was only a small twitch.

Child having a seizure.

The immediate treatment of a febrile seizure is to keep the child safe. They should be lying in a bed or on the floor in a space where nothing can hurt them. The child should be placed on their side to prevent choking on their saliva and nothing should be put in their mouth. A child having a febrile seizure does not have to go to the hospital but the doctor should be called in case their illness needs further assessment. If you know that a child is susceptible to febrile seizures, medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be administered to keep fevers down when a child is ill.

A febrile seizure can be alarming and scary to watch but they are not life threatening to a child. A febrile seizure occurs when a sick child develops a fever and the temperature is greater than 100.4 F. Having a febrile seizure as a child does not mean you will have a lifelong seizure disorder. Febrile seizures typically occur in very young children and are not a problem for teens and adults. The seizure can be as small as a twitch or a larger whole body shaking. The most important thing to remember when a child is having a seizure is to keep them safe and on their side and never put anything in their mouths. A call to the doctor should be made to let them know a febrile seizure has occurred. The doctor might want to see the child in the office and a febrile seizure usually does not require an ER visit.

Medical Disclaimer: The information on this site is for your information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.