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Fever seizures
Fever seizures (febrile seizures) are uncontrolled muscle spasms and unresponsiveness in a child. They usually last 1 to 3 minutes and are seldom serious.
Fever seizures are not a form of epilepsy. A seizure is likely to be fever-related if:
- There is one seizure in a 24-hour period.
- The seizure lasted less than 15 minutes.
- The seizure affected the entire body, not just one side of the body.
- The child is age 6 months to 5 years old.
- The child does not have nervous system (neurological) problems.
- The child has had fever seizures before.
How can you care for your child who has fever seizures?
- Give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to help bring down the fever. Do not use ibuprofen if your child is less than 6 months old unless the doctor gave you instructions to use it. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness.
- Be careful when giving your child over-the-counter cold or flu medicines and Tylenol at the same time. Many of these medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Read the labels to make sure that you are not giving your child more than the recommended dose. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
- If your child has another seizure during the same illness:
- Protect the child from injury. Ease the child to the floor, or lay a very small child face down on your lap.
- Turn the child onto their side, which will help clear the mouth of any vomit or saliva. This will help keep the tongue from blocking airflow into your child. Keeping your child's head and chin forward also will help keep the airway open.
- Loosen your child's clothing.
- Do not put anything in the child's mouth to stop tongue-biting. This could injure you or your child.
- Try to stay calm. It will help calm the child. Comfort your child with quiet, soothing talk.
- Try to time the length of the seizure. Note your child's behavior during the seizure so you can tell your child's doctor about it.
Fever seizure in children: When to call
Call 911 anytime you think your child may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- Your child's seizure lasts more than 3 minutes.
- Your child is very sick or has trouble staying awake or being woken up.
- Your child has another seizure during the same illness.
- Your child has new symptoms, such as weakness or numbness in any part of the body.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- Your child's fever does not come down with acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
- Your child is not acting normally.
Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
- Your child does not get better as expected.
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The content above contains general health information provided by Healthwise, Incorporated, and reviewed by its medical experts. This content should not replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Not all treatments or services described are offered as services by us. For recommended treatments, please consult your healthcare provider.