Febrile Convulsions
Date issued: December 2022
Review date: December 2024
Ref: A-523/NB/ED/Febrile Convulsions
PDF: Febrile Convulsions final December 2022.pdf [pdf] 110KB
What is a febrile convulsion?
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The words convulsion, fit and seizure all mean the same thing
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A convulsion is an attack in which a person becomes unconscious and usually stiff with jerking of the arms and legs. It is caused by a storm of electrical activity of the brain
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A febrile convulsion is a fit caused by a high temperature in a child, usually aged between 6 months and 6 years old
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The aim of the assessment in the Emergency Department is to find out the source of the temperature and determine whether or not that requires specific treatment (e.g., antibiotics). The vast majority of febrile convulsions are caused by infections that require no specific treatment
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Febrile convulsions are very common. At least one child in a class of 30 will have one or more. Only a very small proportion go on to have further febrile convulsions, and an even smaller proportion turn out to have epilepsy
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Febrile convulsions do not cause brain damage unless they are prolonged
What should I do if my child has another convulsion?
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Lay your child on his or her side with their head at the same level or slightly lower than the body
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It is not necessary to do anything else except to move furniture out of the way and keep them safe
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Do not try to place a gag in your child’s mouth or try to hold them still
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Do not slap or shake your child
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Wait for the convulsion to stop, usually the fit stops within 2 minutes. Your child may be drowsy afterwards but should be reviewed by a doctor, so please contact your GP or NHS 111
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If your child has not had paracetamol in the last 4 hours give a dose when they are recovered enough to swallow
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If they have had paracetamol, then you could use ibuprofen, it is safe to use this at the same time as paracetamol
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If your child is still fitting after 5 minutes, then call 999
