When your child has a high fever, there is a chance that he could have a seizure as a result of the fever. In some cases, you may not even realize that he has a fever because it comes on so quickly, resulting in the seizure. Fever seizures or febrile seizures are usually nothing to worry about, though it can be very scary at the time that it’s happening.
Identification
When the child has a seizure, she may lose consciousness and her muscles will twitch and shake uncontrollably. You may see her eyes roll back into her head, and she may vomit, urinate or have a bowel movement. The seizure will last from one to three minutes. You would typically only see this type of seizure when your child has a fever of more than 102 degrees F.
Significance
A febrile seizure can be quite terrifying as it’s occurring. You may fear that your child is about to die or that he has epilepsy. You should mention it to your doctor, but usually the only thing that you need to worry about is keeping your child safe throughout the seizure. However, it’s important to note that if your child has one febrile seizure, he’ll be more likely to have another one within a year.
Considerations
You may worry that your child has or will develop epilepsy as a result of the fever. This is unlikely, but children who have had febrile seizures are more at risk of developing epilepsy than children who have never had a seizure.
Keeping Your Child Safe
As the seizure starts, lay your child own on a floor or a soft space like a bed. If possible, you should keep him on his side or turn his head to the side to prevent choking. You should also eliminate any sharp objects from the area, as he may hurt himself accidentally during the seizure.
Warning
You should never place anything in your child’s mouth if she’s having a seizure because there is a chance that she could choke on this item. Even a large item can easily become broken by her teeth and present a potential choking hazard.
Photo Credit
- schnupfen image by Silvia Bogdanski from Fotolia.com
