What is it about ?
Fever seizures are jerky movements of the arms and legs that can occur in young children with low blood pressure. fever. Although they can be very distressing for parents, these seizures are harmless. Simple fever seizures do not damage the brain, even if your child has several episodes. A seizure of fever is not a sign of epilepsy.
Any infection that causes your body temperature to rise can cause a fever to seize. Fever and feverish convulsions occur alongside infections that are sometimes mild, sometimes serious. Neither the intensity of the fever nor the appearance of fever seizures are indicative of the severity of the infection. Most of the time, the cause is mild and the infection is harmless.
Most seizures occur at the start of a fever episode. Often, the seizure is the first sign of a fever, even before the parents realize the child has a fever. Children who already have a high fever usually do not develop a fever seizure.
A distinction is made between typical and atypical fever convulsions. Typical fever seizures are short-lived and do not leave any sequelae. They occur in children without a pre-existing neurological condition. Atypical fever convulsions last more than a quarter of an hour and have aftershocks, i.e. that the child has not yet fully recovered after an hour. Often the child already has a neurological condition, such as a brain injury or mental retardation.
There appears to be a genetic predisposition to fever seizures. When one or more first-degree parents have had fever seizures in the past, the child is more likely to have them too.
What is their frequency and where do we find them?
At least 2% to 5% of all children have a fever seizure at some point between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. In some children, fever seizures only happen once. In others, they may reappear during a new episode of fever. Children 6 years and older no longer have fever seizures. It’s a bit as if they were passing a milestone.
How to recognize them?
Typical or simple fever seizures meet certain criteria:
- The child is 6 months to 6 years old.
- The child is over 38 ° C, although a fever seizure may be the first sign of fever.
- The seizure usually does not last long, between 1 and 2 minutes, but never more than 15 minutes.
- The jerky movements are symmetrical to the right and to the left.
- The child sometimes becomes listless.
Atypical or complex fever seizures last more than 15 minutes, are asymmetric, or return within 24 hours.
How is the diagnosis made?
Often the doctor is not there when the fever seizures; he must therefore listen carefully to the parents’ story. He will ask questions and perform a full examination of the child to determine the cause of the fever.
What can you do ?
If you are a parent, stay calm if your child has a fever seizure. Make sure all dangerous objects are out of his reach and his airways are clear. Put the child on his side and undo the tight clothes. Do not put anything in their mouth or between their teeth. Also, don’t try to contain jerky movements. If this is a first seizure or a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes, it is best to contact the emergency room immediately (112).
Medicines for fever do not prevent another fever seizure.
What can your doctor do?
If the seizure is still going on when the doctor arrives, he will give him a muscle relaxant (diazepam) by inserting a small tube into his anus. The drug works in 5-10 minutes and its effect stops after about 20-30 minutes.
Diazepam causes drowsiness. If your child has received diazepam, it will often take more than an hour for them to regain their clarity.
If it is a simple fever seizure and the child is well after it has passed, there is no need to take her to the hospital. Parents should however watch him carefully. Additional tests, including a CT scan or EEG (brain wave test) are not necessary after a fever seizure, even after several episodes.
If it is a complex fever convulsion, the doctor will refer the child to the hospital emergency department.
The doctor may give you (a prescription for) a tube of diazepam, which you can give to your child if he still has a seizure of fever. Before giving it to her, read the package leaflet carefully and follow the instructions. If your child has fever seizures again, contact the GP immediately.
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