What are Febrile Seizures?
Febrile seizures are convulsions triggered by fever in young children. They are the most common type of seizures in childhood, affecting 2–5% of children between 6 months and 5 years. Although terrifying to witness, simple febrile seizures are generally harmless and do not cause brain damage. Paediatricians at Dashvanth Healthcare Delhi guide parents through febrile seizure management.
Simple vs Complex Febrile Seizures
Simple Febrile Seizure (90%)
- Lasts less than 15 minutes
- Generalised (full body shaking)
- Occurs only once in 24 hours
- Child returns to normal within 30–60 minutes
Complex Febrile Seizure (10%)
- Lasts more than 15 minutes, OR
- Focal (one side of body), OR
- Occurs more than once in 24 hours
- Requires further evaluation
What to Do During a Seizure
- Stay calm – do NOT panic
- Place child on their side (recovery position)
- Clear area of hard objects
- Do NOT restrain the child
- Do NOT put anything in the mouth
- Time the seizure
- Call emergency services if seizure lasts >5 minutes
After the Seizure
- Child may be sleepy/confused for 30–60 minutes (post-ictal state)
- Manage the fever with paracetamol
- Seek medical attention
Investigation
Simple febrile seizures usually require no investigations beyond identifying and treating the cause of fever. Complex febrile seizures require EEG, MRI brain, and lumbar puncture to exclude meningitis.
Recurrence Risk
30–35% of children have another febrile seizure. Risk is higher if: first seizure at <18 months, family history of febrile seizures, short duration of fever before seizure.
Expert paediatric care for febrile seizures at Dashvanth Healthcare Delhi: 011-41670042
