$Unique_ID{PAR00044}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Convulsions With Fever}
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$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Convulsions With Fever Unconsciousness jerking movements Muscle
spasms breathing cessation Bluish skin bladder bowel control Loss Febrile
convulsion chills shaking meningitis encephalitis brain abscess phenobarbital
diazepam physical examination blood tests spinal tap electroencephalogram
computed tomographic CT scan}
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Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Convulsions With Fever


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Fever
     - Unconsciousness
     - Uncontrollable jerking movements
     - Muscle spasms
     - Brief cessation of breathing
     - Bluish skin
     - Loss of control of bladder or bowels

     HOME CARE
     - Protect the child from injury during the thrashing or jerking
       movements.
     - Call your doctor immediately.
     - Do not put your fingers into the child's mouth.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Do not give aspirin or any other medication by mouth to an unconscious
       child.
     - Do not give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a child having convulsions.
     - Do not place a convulsing child in a tub of water to reduce the child's
       temperature.
     - If the child cannot bend the neck forward after convulsions have ended,
       or if the child has collapsed or is exhausted, report this to your
       doctor.
     - If a child tends to have convulsions with a fever, sponge the child's
       body with a damp (lukewarm) sponge at the first sign of fever.


     Convulsions are uncontrolled contractions or spasms of the muscles.  If a
child who has a fever goes into convulsions, there are two possible causes.
The convulsions may be caused by the fever itself or by certain diseases
involving the brain that also cause fever.
     Febrile convulsions (convulsions caused by the fever itself) occur in 5
to 10 percent of all children.  How quickly the temperature rises is more
important than how high the temperature is.  A sudden rise of only 2 degrees_F
or 3 degrees_F may cause convulsions, but a gradual rise of 5 degrees_F or 6
degrees_F may not.
     Febrile convulsions may be thought of as chills accompanied by shaking
that become extreme.  They are most common between the ages of three months
and three years.  Febrile convulsions occur less and less often from age three
to age eight.  After the age of eight, febrile convulsions are rare.  One
episode of febrile convulsions usually means that the child is more likely to
have them in the future.  However, the tendency to have febrile convulsions
does not mean that the child will later have epilepsy.
     Diseases involving the brain that cause convulsions include meningitis,
encephalitis, and abscess of the brain.  When convulsions occur with these
diseases, the child usually has a fever.  However, the disease--not the
fever--causes the convulsions.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     During convulsions with fever, a child will fall unconscious, will become
rigid, and may stop breathing briefly.  The child may turn blue, lose control
of the bladder and bowels, and vomit.  The limbs, torso, jaws, and/or eyelids
will jerk uncontrollably.  The child will quickly begin breathing normally
again.  The seizure activity may last two minutes to 30 minutes or longer.
After regaining consciousness, the child will not remember that the
convulsions occurred.
     Several traits of febrile convulsions can help you distinguish them from
convulsions caused by such diseases as encephalitis, meningitis, and brain
abscess.  A major sign of febrile convulsions is that the child recovers
quickly (within minutes).  Immediately after a febrile convulsion, the child
is alert, can respond, and is not prostrated (in a state of collapse or
exhaustion).  After a febrile convulsion, the child can bend the neck forward.
There is often a family history of febrile convulsions.
     After convulsions caused by diseases involving the brain, the child often
cannot bend the neck forward and may be in a state of collapse or exhaustion.

HOME CARE

     Do not panic!  Your child is in no pain and is in more danger from
improper treatment than from the convulsion.  Protect the child from injury
while the convulsion is occurring.  Call your doctor immediately.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Do not give aspirin or any other medication by mouth to an unconscious
     child.  An unconscious person cannot swallow and may choke on the
     medicine.
  -  Do not give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a convulsing child.  The
     breathing muscles are temporarily in spasm, and such forceful artificial
     respiration may be harmful.
  -  Do not place a convulsing child in a tub of water to reduce the child's
     temperature.  Accidents such as scalding and injuries against the sides
     of the tub have occurred; this practice is not recommended.
  -  If the child cannot bend the neck forward after the convulsions have
     ended, or if the child has collapsed or is exhausted, report this to your
     doctor.  These may be signs of serious illness.
  -  If a child tends to have convulsions with a fever, sponge the child's
     body with a damp (lukewarm) sponge at the first sign of fever.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     Your doctor may give an injection of a medication that controls
convulsions--usually phenobarbital or diazepam.  The doctor will perform a
complete physical examination, including blood tests and a spinal tap.  If the
febrile convulsion is unusual, or if convulsions occur often, your doctor may
order additional studies, such as an electroencephalogram and a computed
tomographic (CT) scan.  Daily medications to control convulsions are
prescribed for several years under some circumstances.

RELATED TOPICS:  Choking; Convulsions without fever; Encephalitis; Fever;
Meningitis