If you are a parent or caregiver and your child has a high fever, it can be difficult to know what to do to help them. Some children with a high temperate more than 38°C may experience febrile convulsions, which is a type of fit or seizure that can affect young children when they have a fever.
The good news is that there are few lasting effects of febrile convulsions; you child will most likely be completely fine in the long run. However, it’s important to know what to do if you do find yourself in a tricky situation, especially because it can be distressing to watch.
In this article, we’re going to have a closer look at what febrile convulsions are, why they occur and what you can do to keep your child safe.
How can you recognize a convulsion or fit?
Many parents describe their children who are having a fit as being “not quite with it” or a little strange. If your child is having a convulsion or fit, you may notice signs and symptoms such as:
- Jerking or twitching of the body
- Contraction or tightening of muscles in the face, limbs and trunk.
- Involuntary moaning, crying or urination
- Difficulty breathing
What causes febrile convulsions?
Febrile only affects children who have a high body temperature of more than 38°C. This is because the brains of young children are still growing and more sensitive to fever than mature brains of older children and adults. The fever can disrupt the normal brain activity and cause a fit to occur.
The fever is usually caused by an infection, such as a simple viral infection that would usually give an adult a heavy cold. Any type of infection may be responsible for causing the fever and the resulting fit, including an infection of the ear, throat or bladder.
Who is affected?
Febrile convulsions are quite common and about 1 in 25 children will experience the condition. Any child can be affected, even if they are otherwise healthy. It tends to run in families and a young child with a parent or elder sibling who has been affected is more likely to also experience febrile convulsions than other children.
Most children who are affected by febrile convulsions experience the first convulsion between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, although some children may be affected later up to the age of 5-6 years. The convulsions are most common between 9 and 20 months.
What are the risks?
Fortunately, febrile convulsions usually stop by the time that a child reaches the age of 6 without the need for any specific treatment. They are a temporary occurrence that happens when your child has a high fever and do not typically cause long-term brain damage or epilepsy.
The main concern if your child has had a febrile convulsion is that they are more likely to experience another fit in the future if they get a high temperature. In this case, you should be prepared and know what to do to keep your child safe during the fit if it does happen again.
Long-term problems linked to febrile convulsions are rare and there is not usually a need for complex investigations if your child is affected.
How can you help a child who is having a convulsion?
If your child is having a convulsion, the first thing that you should do is to keep calm and do your best to keep your baby from harm as the fit runs its course.
Place your child on their side, with their chest facing the floor and their head turned to the side. They should never be placed on their back as this can close the airway and make it difficult for the child to breathe. Something soft, such as a small pillow or a piece of clothing may be placed under their head for support. The child can be undressed to their underwear to keep them cool, but care should be taken to prevent them from getting too cold.
Do not try to shake or restrain the child. Avoid forcing anything, including medications to reduce fever, into their mouth.
The main goal should be to keep the airways of the child open and keep the child from any harm throughout the convulsion. If there are any potentially harmful objects nearby, such as furniture with sharp corners or glass objects, these should be moved away.
It is important to seek emergency medical help as soon as possible if you believe your child has had a febrile convulsion. Call 000 for an ambulance or take your child to the emergency room at the hospital. In some cases, the seizure may continue and a medical team may be needed to give your child anaesthetic and intubate to help them to breathe.
You should talk to a medical professional about the symptoms that your child experienced to investigate the cause and help come up with a plan if a similar thing happens in the future.
How can febrile convulsions be prevented?
The best way to prevent febrile convulsions is to keep an eye on the temperature of your child when they are sick and take action to stop it from getting too high.
It can help to keep the child lightly clothed so that they are cooler and make sure they are well-hydrated with enough to drink. Medications such as paracetamol that are available over-the-counter at they pharmacy can also help to relieve pain and reduce fever.
Want to know more?
If you’d like to know more about febrile convulsions and what you can do to help your child if they are affected, we’ll be happy to help you at Inverell Pharmacy. Simply stop by for a chat with one of our pharmacists at 132 Byron Street (next to Telstra) for more information, or give us a call on 02 6722 3146.
Inverell Pharmacy – your locally owned and operated pharmacy with 5 pharmacists to Assist and Advise you.