Febrile Seizure
Common childhood seizure with fever, usually harmless long term
Step by Step
Febrile seizures happen in some young children, most often between 6 months and 5 years, during a fever. Protect the child from injury, time the seizure, and do not restrain them or put anything in their mouth. After it stops, place them in the recovery position and stay with them. Call emergency services if it is their first seizure, it lasts more than 5 minutes, they have difficulty breathing, the jerking affects only one side of the body, they have another seizure, or they do not recover fully. Otherwise, seek medical advice the same day to look for the cause of the fever. Simple febrile seizures are not usually harmful and most children do not go on to develop epilepsy.
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