A febrile convulsion is a type of fit that can happen if your child’s temperature gets too high very quickly. They usually happen to children between birth and 5 years old. It is not the same as epilepsy and does not mean the child will get epilepsy.

The febrile convulsion must have been very frightening for you to see, but you can help your child by locking out for:

• A temperature
• Flushing and sweating
• Breath holding
• Twiching of your child’s face, arms or legs
• Limbs cold
• Body and head hot to touch.

If you notice any of these, you should:

• Give your child medicine (if they can swallow), such as junior paracetamol or ibuprofen, to bring their temperature down
• Take your child’s clothes off to cool them down, but if they still wear nappies, you can keep one on to stop any accidents
• If your child starts to fit, put them on their side or in another safe position.
• Get in touch with your doctor if your child has a high temperature.

You should not

• Cool your child so much that they start to shiver. This means that they are too cold.
• Put anything in your child’s mouth if they are having it.

If your child start to have a fit, that lasts more than 5 minutes you should:

• Take your child to hospital Casualty.

If your child has a fit that lasts for less than 5 minutes, once they recover you should make an appointment to see a doctor.

If you are worried about how your child is recovering after their fit, then you should take your child to your local Emergency Department.

Febrile convulsion is common in the under 5 age group because their brain is not mature enough to cope with a sudden increase in temperature. However, it is important to stress again that febrile convulsion is not epilepsy.

What are the symptoms of a febrile convulsion?

A child having a febrile convulsion most commonly loses consciousness, the body becomes stiff, the arms and legs make jerky, twitching movements and the breathing becomes irregular. This normally lasts for less than a minute or two and rarely longer than five minutes. The child then becomes drowsy for a period following the convulsion.

What SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD HAS ANOTHER FEBRILE CONVULSION?

If your child has another febrile convulsion, try and stay calm.

Do not try to hold your child during the fit but place your child in the recovery position by laying your child on his or her side with the head level or slightly lower than the rest of the body. Protect the head from hard surfaces if possible with light padding.

Loosen your child’s clothing and remove anything from the mouth, such as food or a dummy. Stay with your child and try to time the seizure.

If the seizure last more than two minutes, you should call an Ambulance.

If your child has had a seizure which lasts for less than two minutes you should contact your GP or out of hours’ service for advice.

Temperature control

By controlling the temperature, it is hoped that this will prevent a child from becoming more unwell and distressed, however there is no evidence that giving medicines to control the temperature reduces the chances of fitting. At the first signs of a child appearing unwell or distressed, paracetamol should be given regularly every 4 to 6 hours. If these symptoms are not relieved, ibuprofen may be given one hour later. However, if the symptoms or the child’s temperature is difficult to control, you should seek advice from your doctor or return to the Emergency Department.

These medications do not treat the underlying cause of the temperature. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics but ONLY if there is evidence of a bacterial infection (antibiotic do not treat viruses). Tepid sponging and the use of a fan directly on a child are not recommended to rise. However, a fan can be used to cool the room and circulate the air.

The child should be dressed in light clothing or pyjamas and a sheet may be used to cover the child.

The child should be encouraged to drink fluids regularly and in babies who are breast fed, breast milk is the most appropriate fluid.

WHEN TO SEEK FURTHER MEDICAL HELP

Parents and cares who are looking after a child who has had a febrile convulsion should return to the nearest Emergency department for further advice if the child has the following symptoms:

• Non-blanching rash
• Difficult to wake
• Refusing to drink
• Repeated vomiting
• Complaining of the light hurting their eyes
• If they are in pain unresolved by giving paracetamol or ibuprofen
• High pitched inconsolable cry in babies

If your child does not improve within 48 hours or the temperature lasts longer than 5 days, you should contact your doctor for advice.

WHEN CAN THE CHILD RETURN TO NURSERY OR SCHOOL?

Please keep your child from nursery or school while your child’s temperature persists but notify the nursery or school of the illness.