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Febrile seizure (children)

Definition:
A febrile seizure is a brief, generalized, symmetric convulsion in a child that occurs in association with fever but without any brain or spinal cord infection or neurologic cause.

Alternative Names:
Seizure - fever induced

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

A febrile seizure is a generalized tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure that occurs in some children as a response to a fever. Febrile seizures are usually associated with rapidly rising fevers, and usually occur early in the fever rather than later.

The seizure may last a few seconds up to a few minutes (although short seizures are more typical). It most commonly occurs in children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years of age. Approximately 2-5% of children will have a seizure associated with fevers. However, the exact cause of febrile seizures is unknown.

There is a tendency for febrile seizures to run in families. This suggest thats there are genetic factors involved. Occasionally, seizures associated with fever may be a symptom of other diseases such as poisoning, meningitis, or encephalitis.

Roseola, or infection with human herpesvirus-6, is also a frequent cause of febrile convulsions in children. Dysentary caused by shigella is frequently associated with a high fever and febrile seizures in children. A child who has a febrile seizure once may not have further seizures in response to a fever.



Review Date: 7/11/2002
Reviewed By: Chayim Newmark, Chayim Newmark, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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