Febrile fits
Febrile fits are fairly common in children, especially toddlers. They affect about 2-4 per cent of children, and generally occur between the ages of 3 months and 6 years. Among affected children, there is often a family history of the condition.
Febrile fits, which are also called febrile seizures or convulsions, are related to how quickly your child’s temperature rises or falls, rather than how high their temperature is. Consequently, many children experience a febrile fit before anyone has noticed that they have a temperature.
Although frightening to witness, in general these febrile fits do not last long and the risk of the fit causing any serious damage is minimal.
Classically, a fit or seizure starts with a change in your child’s level of consciousness, often with their eyes rolling back in their head. This may be followed by a general stiffening of their body and limbs, including clenching of the teeth, after which comes the repetitive, jerky movements commonly associated with fitting.
The fits usually last less than 15 minutes, although for people watching it, a fit often seems to last much longer.
It is important if you witness a child fitting that you don’t try to restrain them. Make sure they are safe by removing any potential dangers from around them and putting something soft under their head. Loosen any clothing that could restrict their breathing.
If possible, turn the fitting child on to their side to prevent any choking, especially in the event of vomiting. Do not try to force a fitting person’s mouth open. Contrary to popular belief, they will not swallow their tongue.
After the child stops fitting they may be drowsy and disorientated as they regain consciousness. It is important to provide reassurance and calm support at this time. All children who have a febrile fit should be seen by a doctor to determine that a fever was in fact the trigger for the fit, and to rule out other causes.
The majority of children who have a febrile fit will recover fully. Approximately one-third will have another fever-related seizure. The biggest factor affecting whether or not a child has another febrile fit is their age when the first fit occurs — the younger they are, the more likely they are to have recurrences.
To prevent febrile fits from recurring, many people advise treating children at the first sign of fever with paracetamol or ibuprofen. However, this has not yet been proven to reduce the risk of a febrile fit.
Most children who have had a febrile fit will not develop epilepsy in the future. By far the majority of children who experience a febrile fit will have no long-term consequences.
Last Reviewed: 17 December 2007
