A febrile convulsion is a type of seizure that occurs in a child following a rapid rise in temperature which often occurs at the onset of a feverish illness. Febrile convulsions occur in children aged 6 months to 5 years of age. They normally last for less than 5 minutes. They are also rarely an indication of epilepsy in later life.
During a seizure, a child may lose consciousness and shake or jerk violently. They may also stop breathing temporarily or breathe shallowly which may result in a bluish tinge to the skin. During a convulsion a child may also pass urine and/or faeces and roll back his or her eyes.
The first step is to call your doctor if your child has a convulsion. If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes call an ambulance or take your child to hospital immediately.
Remove excess clothes, open a window or use an electric fan to ensure a flow of cool, fresh air and surround the child with soft objects to prevent injury
Prevent Falls – Night Lights
Consider using night lights in your child's bedroom, the bathroom and hallways to prevent falls at night.
To avoid a febrile convulsion, keep your child's temperature down to normal levels. If their temperature is high, over-the-counter paracetemol based medicines, like Panado
® Paediatric Syrup or Panado
® Children Meltabs, can help to control fever. In addition, remove your child's outer clothes, lie your child down in a cool room with a free flow of fresh air or use a fan to circulate cool air over his or her skin and ensure that he or she has plenty of cool fluids to drink.
REFERENCES:
The BMA Family Doctor Home Adviser 4th Edition: 48,50-1,72-5,84-85,98-99,103,116,129,131,150-1,154-5,163,170,190,224-6, 234-6