What To Know About Febrile Seizures

What Are Febrile Seizures And What Causes Them?

Febrile seizures are convulsions triggered by a fever. They happen in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old when their fever is above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. They are most common in toddlers ages 12 to 18 months old.

Febrile seizures occur most often on the first day of a child's fever. Experts at the Mayo Clinic say the fevers that trigger febrile seizures are usually caused by a viral infection, like the flu and roseola. While there’s no way to prevent febrile seizures, most last a few minutes, stop on their own, and don't cause other health problems.

A child is more likely to have a febrile seizure if:

• There's a family history of febrile seizures.
• They've already had one. About 1 in every 3 kids who have had one febrile seizure will have another, usually within 1 to 2 years of the first.
• They had their first febrile seizure when they were younger than 15 months old.

What Are The Symptoms Of Febrile Seizures?

Febrile seizures can be simple or complex. Simple seizures are the most common and usually last from 1 to 15 minutes.

The most common symptoms of simple febrile seizures include:

• Fever of 100.4˚F or greater.
• Shaking or jerking of the arms or legs.
• Eye-rolling or moaning.
• Loss of consciousness.

Complex seizures can last more than 15 minutes and happen more than once in 24 hours. The shaking may only occur on one side of your child’s body.

How Do You Treat A Febrile Seizure?

If your child is having a febrile seizure, your main goal is to remain calm and make sure your child is safe.

For first aid, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you:

• Lay your child on their side in a place where they can’t fall.
• Start timing the seizure.
• Stay with your child until the seizure ends.
• Comfort your child, but don’t try to stop the shaking.
• Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, your child turns blue, or has another seizure within 24 hours.

What Can You Expect After Your Child Has A Febrile Seizure?

Your child might feel sleepy or be cranky for a few hours after a seizure. Be sure to call your child’s doctor after the seizure is over, even if it only lasted a few seconds. They can provide guidance based on your child's needs and health history.

If your child’s doctor isn’t available or you don’t have a doctor, you can speak to a care provider using the Find Care feature on the Sydney^SM Health app or at anthem.com.

Although febrile seizures can be scary for parents and caregivers, it’s important to know that most don’t cause lasting effects or impact your child’s ability to learn. Another vital fact to remember is that a febrile seizure is triggered by fever. It’s not the same as having epilepsy, which is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

If you’re interested in learning more about seizures, the Epilepsy Foundation offers an on-demand course called Seizure Recognition and First Aid Certification.