How dangerous are febrile seizures in children. Febrile seizures in children

Febrile seizures are generalized seizures that occur during elevated temperature body. This condition can develop in the case of an acute respiratory viral infection, otitis media. In most cases, such convulsions are observed in children over the age of three months and can last up to five years. As a rule, convulsions appear if the body temperature rises above 38 degrees. The attack begins with the fact that the child's body freezes in a tense state, after which convulsive twitches of the arms and legs develop.

The causes of febrile seizures in children are not fully understood. However, it has been established that one of the main causes of this condition is an insufficiently mature nervous system and weakness. inhibitory processes- this is what creates all the conditions for the appearance of febrile convulsions.

It should be noted that such attacks can occur only against the background of an increase in temperature. The provoking factors in this case can be anything - teething, vaccination, SARS, colds.

One of the important points in this case is hereditary predisposition - for example, the presence of epilepsy in the child's parents or his relatives.

Signs and symptoms of febrile seizures

It should be noted that doctors do not regard febrile convulsions as a form of epilepsy, although they have a number of symptoms similar to this disease. There are several forms of febrile seizures, in particular:

Tonic convulsions - they are accompanied by a significant tension in all the muscles of the child's body. It can be bending the arms to the chest, rolling the eyes, straightening the legs, throwing back the head. Then this state is replaced by rhythmic twitches or shudders, which become less and less frequent and gradually disappear.
Atonic convulsions - they are characterized by instant relaxation of the muscles of the body, as well as involuntary defecation and urination.
Local convulsions - accompanied by rolling the eyes, twitching of the limbs.

In most cases, the child does not react in any way to the words or actions of the parents, he stops crying, loses contact with reality, may turn blue or hold his breath. It should be borne in mind that every third child who has previously experienced such attacks will suffer from them and subsequently with an increase in body temperature.

What do febrile seizures look like?

The seizure usually begins with the child losing consciousness, and after a while his whole body and limbs become rigid. At the same time, the head unbends back, after which rhythmic twitching of the limbs is observed.

The skin may become pale or pale blue. As a rule, febrile convulsions stop after a couple of minutes, after which the child regains consciousness, but weakness persists. Gradually, the normal skin color and normal level of consciousness returns.

Some children recover fairly quickly, while others recover for a long time. During the attack, parents completely lose their sense of time, and therefore a short attack can be regarded as a very long one.

Risk group

Of course, not every child suffers from such a problem. Febrile seizures are associated with individual features nervous system of the baby - in this case, he has an increased sensitivity threshold. In addition, some children may experience seizures at a temperature of 39 degrees, while for others, 38 is enough. At the same time, most children do not suffer from such convulsions at all.

In babies with a high threshold of sensitivity, febrile convulsions can be observed once, several times, and can be with each case of an increase in body temperature.

To date, doctors do not have reliable data on which children are more likely to experience such seizures. However, in most cases, febrile convulsions affect premature babies, babies with pathologies of the central nervous system, children who have spinal hernias, as well as babies who have had a difficult or rapid birth.

First aid for febrile seizures

At home, care for febrile seizures should take into account two points:

Prevention of entry of vomit, food, saliva into the respiratory tract.
Prevention of traumatic injuries during a seizure.

To solve these problems, it is necessary to put the child on a stable, flat surface away from dangerous objects. At the same time, his body should be in the so-called rescue position, that is, the child should be placed on his side, and his face should be turned down. This will eliminate the possibility of liquid entering the respiratory tract. It is not recommended to take other actions on your own.

Before the doctor arrives, it is necessary to remember the duration of the attack and its manifestations - it is this information that will help specialists understand what kind of help the child needs. It is very important to pay attention to the presence of consciousness, posture, position of the head, limbs, eyes. It should be borne in mind that the doctor may ask eyewitnesses to show the movements and posture of the child.

What can not be done during an attack?

During such an attack, in no case should you put any objects into your mouth or take out your tongue. Contrary to the popular myth, it is impossible to swallow the tongue, while any manipulations with the oral cavity can lead to traumatic injuries to the teeth, jaws, and tongue. In addition, there is a risk that the wreckage introduced into oral cavity object or broken teeth will enter the respiratory tract, and this poses a real threat to life.

You should not try to hold the child by force, since this in no way affects the course of the attack and does not bring any benefit to the patient. In addition, artificial respiration is not recommended in this case. Until full recovery of consciousness, in no case should you give water to drink or medications because there is a risk that they will be inhaled.

Diagnosis of febrile seizures

A child who has had a febrile seizure at least once should definitely be shown to a pediatric neurologist. The physician must rule out neurological causes such seizures, including various forms epilepsy.

In this case, it is necessary to conduct the following types of research:

biochemical and general analysis blood and urine;
analysis of cerebrospinal fluid - this is done to exclude meningitis or encephalitis;
electroencephalogram;
nuclear magnetic resonance or computed tomography.

Treatment of febrile seizures

If a child has a febrile seizure, it is imperative to call ambulance. Before the doctors arrive, you should give the baby first aid:

If you are alone, you need to call for help.
Immediately put the baby on a hard surface and turn his head to the side.
Monitor the rhythm of the child's breathing. If he is tense and not breathing, then immediately after the end of the convulsions, artificial respiration should be started.
Ventilate the room and undress the child. The air temperature in the room should not be higher than 20 degrees.
You can apply physical methods to reduce the high temperature.
Give the child an antipyretic - suppositories with paracetamol are ideal.
Until the convulsions stop, in no case should you leave the child alone or try to force him to swallow the medicine.

In the event that febrile convulsions last no more than fifteen minutes and recur quite rarely, no other treatment is required. If such seizures are repeated quite often or are of a prolonged nature, an intravenous injection of anticonvulsants may be required - such an injection will be given by doctors from the ambulance team.

It must be remembered that febrile convulsions and high body temperature can be observed with quite dangerous diseases- neuroinfections. Fortunately, such diseases are rare, and their diagnosis does not cause any particular difficulties. If in doubt, the doctor may perform a lumbar puncture to remove some cerebrospinal fluid. This method allows you to make the correct diagnosis in doubtful cases.

Preventive measures and consequences of febrile seizures

Prophylaxis is required only if febrile seizures recur very often or last too long. In any case, the decision regarding preventive treatment accepted exclusively by a neurologist.

Although febrile seizures are very dramatic in themselves, they rarely cause any serious damage to the central nervous system. Such a threat arises only if such attacks are repeated often and are of a long-term nature, but in any case, damage to the nervous system is rarely serious enough.

It should be noted that in children who have suffered such convulsions, there is a risk of developing epilepsy, but it is minimal and amounts to only about 2%.

Thus, despite the fact that febrile convulsions have quite terrible symptoms, they do not pose a serious danger to the life and health of the child. The main thing in this situation is to master the methods of first aid. This is what will allow you to wait for the doctors without compromising the health of the baby. To exclude the presence of serious problems, you need to contact a neurologist - the doctor will prescribe necessary examinations and be able to make a correct diagnosis.

Fever with a body temperature above 38 ° C provokes febrile convulsions in children, fortunately, without affecting their further psychomotor development. Mothers tend to over-dramatize such an event as a seizure in children. Seizures last from 20 seconds to 10 minutes, which can seem like an eternity to adults. What are the causes of this type of seizures in childhood how to help kids?

According to WHO, 3-4% of children under 6 years of age are susceptible to febrile seizures, 50% of them had only one episode, every second seizures are repeated 2-3 times. If there are no symptoms of meningitis, no metabolic disorders and epilepsy, then febrile convulsions pass without a trace, as they grow older they no longer recur.

Febrile convulsions provoked by hypothermia in children after 5 years of age occur less frequently than at the age of 1–1.5 years. When a strong stimulus causes an excitation process in the brain, the limbs and / or the whole body begin to respond. The baby turns pale, breathing becomes intermittent or rapid. Seizures can spread to the muscles of the face, can cause loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest.

A fever attack occurs with a rapidly rising body temperature, as well as at a temperature above 38–39 ° C.

The total duration of febrile seizures reaches 10-15 minutes. Repeated cases often occur with subfebrile convulsions in children when the body temperature is below 38 ° C, as well as with more prolonged seizures. The reason for the prolonged stay of the child without consciousness may be intoxication caused by dangerous infections. There is a risk of developing epilepsy after the first seizures, but without aggravating conditions, it is only 1%. An epileptic seizure that lasts more than 15 minutes, unlike fever, more often causes disturbances in psychomotor development.

Types of seizures

It seems to non-specialists that convulsive reactions follow one “scenario”: children lose consciousness, fall, they begin to convulse. Indeed, there is much in common in how the next or first attack proceeds. The child loses emotional connection with others, does not respond to stimuli.

Doctors distinguish several types of seizures according to their localization, the coverage of certain groups or all muscles by the process of excitation.

With a clonic seizure, children experience facial twitching, the same involuntary twitching of the arms and legs. With tonic convulsions, the baby's legs are straightened, his arms are bent at the elbows and pressed to the chest. All the muscles tense up, the head throws back, and the eyes roll back. With a local - local - nature of seizures, twitching occurs only in the muscles of the face, arms and / or legs of children. A generalized attack is characterized by the fact that all muscle groups are involved. After a while, the process fades, then stops completely.

Causes and symptoms of febrile seizures

Upper infections respiratory tract, ARI, inflammation of the middle ear - this is the beginning of the list of triggers or triggers for the development of an attack in children. Seizures can occur even in relatively low-risk situations for babies, for example, as a result of hyperthermia after vaccination. Spasms with fever, a sharp increase in body temperature occur in children, because the brain has not yet formed and is especially susceptible to strong stimuli. The faster hyperthermia develops, the higher the likelihood of seizures.

All causes of febrile seizures in children are worthy of the attention of parents and doctors in order to exclude serious illness which can cause the same symptoms (epilepsy, hydrocephalus). Also dangerous is the condition of the child during a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, when he loses consciousness. The whole complex of signs is observed within 30-120 seconds, but during this short period the baby should not be left without the help of adults.

Symptoms of tonic-clonic seizures:

The skin at high temperature blush (hyperemia).
Sometimes the child cries a lot at the beginning of the attack.
There is pallor, a cold sticky sweat covers the forehead and body.
The kid does not respond to the words addressed to him, does not respond to stimuli.
There are twitching of the limbs (clonic convulsions).
The tonic period of the attack - the head is thrown back, the body is stretched.
Eyes roll back, teeth clench, lips turn blue, foam is shown.
Are involuntarily emptied bladder and intestines.

After the first febrile seizure, which can last 10–30 seconds, recurrent seizures may occur. This happens while maintaining the action of a strong stimulus on the brain, if the baby has a hereditary tendency to a similar reaction to hyperthermia. It is necessary to stop repeated convulsions in a timely manner, because with their prolonged course, the risk of a negative effect on the psychomotor development of children increases.

How to give first aid for seizures

All parents should know how to act if febrile convulsions have begun in children. You should call an ambulance, but experience shows that in 90% of the total number of cases, the spasm passes before the doctor arrives. It is recommended not to transfer the child to another place unless absolutely necessary. You can not shake and shake the baby, wipe his body with a cold washcloth.

Children must be protected from injury, do not try to hold by force, do not insert any hard objects into their mouths.

In case of a febrile attack, adults provide first aid to children by laying them on their knees or on the floor. Treat febrile seizures at home with antipyretics. It is better to use in such cases syrups and suppositories based on ibuprofen or paracetamol. When body temperature drops to normal indicators, the influence of the main trigger of febrile convulsions on the brain decreases.

Babies are given antipyretics, since at high temperatures there is a risk of a recurrence of a tonic-clonic attack. The World Health Organization recommends the use of paracetamol for the treatment of febrile conditions in children. single dose active substance- 10-15 mg per 1 kg of body weight of the child. Until the children regain consciousness, they are not allowed to drink drops or tablets. Body temperature can be tried to reduce by wiping the body with lukewarm water.

Parent action algorithm

What should adults do with a seizure in infants? Parents should free the baby's mouth and nose from food, vomit, mucus. This action will help clear the airways if they are clogged. To cleanse the oral and nasal cavities, the pharynx of babies, parents can use a disposable syringe without a needle, a rubber bulb. For older children, the mouth is released mechanically - with a finger wrapped in a bandage. If there is an air duct, then it is installed to prevent the tongue from falling.

Algorithm of action of adults with convulsions in children:

Children who are conscious are given sedative valerian drops. The dosage of the tincture is determined based on age. So, a baby needs only one drop diluted in a teaspoon of water. A two-year-old child is given two drops of valerian tincture dissolved in a small amount of boiled water.

Treatment of febrile seizures

An effective antipyretic, paracetamol is a first-line drug that does not cause severe adverse reactions in children. Ibuprofen belongs to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This is a second-line antipyretic, it is given for intolerance or insufficient effectiveness of treatment with paracetamol. However, NSAIDs cause damage to the gastric mucosa and other serious consequences.

The use of antipyretic drugs directly for hyperthermia during an illness in a child is much more effective than other measures to prevent seizures.

If a high temperature persists even after taking paracetamol syrup or suppositories, the ambulance nurse will inject analgin intramuscularly. But experts warn that it is not advisable to take antipyretics like other drugs - courses. With incessant convulsions, a diazepam solution is administered intramuscularly or intravenously. Long-term administration of anticonvulsants does not prevent the recurrence of febrile seizures.

After an attack, children remain lethargic, do not understand what is happening to them. When the convulsions pass and the baby's condition returns to normal, the doctor should still examine him. If the seizure lasts more than 15 minutes, then children need treatment with special medications. Of great importance for the choice of therapy is the hereditary predisposition to convulsive reactions.

When a mother or father had convulsions in childhood in a family, the likelihood of recurrence in offspring increases several times.

It is necessary to contact a pediatric neurologist to determine the exact cause of the attack(s). The doctor will clarify the circumstances with relatives, explain what the consequences of a convulsive syndrome may be. After vaccinations, such as DTP, the doctor prescribes paracetamol to infants with febrile convulsions on the first or second day. With the introduction of live vaccines, children take paracetamol from the 5th day.

Febrile seizures in children - what should parents do? updated: February 21, 2016 by: admin

With the onset of motherhood, there are many fears and fears for the health of our baby, we are ready for some troubles and can prevent them, but there are those that arise against the backdrop of complete well-being, and we are completely unprepared for them. Namely, such diseases are most dangerous for the life and health of the baby.

One such dangerous condition is febrile convulsions.

Febrile convulsions are convulsions that occur, as a rule, in aunts under the age of 6 years against the background of a sharp increase in body temperature from 38 ºС and above. A distinctive feature is that up to this point the baby has never had seizures.

Epidemiology

Febrile seizures are rare in children. According to various sources, among the child population, febrile convulsions occur from 5 to 15% of cases. This is an acute condition, it cannot be used to judge the presence of a neurological pathology in a child.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to know whether a child has such a predisposition or not until the moment when this problem manifests itself. When the baby is sick, he feels bad, the mother is usually lost and does not know what to do. Some cannot even determine the presence of seizures, and this is very important. After all, it is timely diagnosis and urgent care keep the child healthy and help avoid unpleasant consequences.

Causes

Febrile seizures occur only against the background of high temperature. Most pediatric neurologists agree that pathology arises from the failure of the nervous system, uncoordinated processes of excitation and inhibition in the child's brain.

At birth, many systems and organs are not yet sufficiently developed - this is a normal physiological state of a person. Usually, all systems and organs are finally formed by the age of 16-18.

Most often, febrile seizures occur in infants between the ages of 6 and 18 months. During this period, the child's nervous system is most vulnerable.

There is also a theory about the genetic predisposition of the little man to the occurrence of convulsive episodes against the background of high temperature, if one of the blood relatives has neurological diseases, most often epilepsy.

It is also worth noting that the reason why the temperature rose, whether it be SARS, intestinal infection, reaction to vaccination or heat stroke, is not important, only the febrile temperature itself is fundamental for the occurrence of seizures.

Clinical picture

Febrile seizures in children are visually very similar to seizures in epilepsy. However, unlike episyndrome, an attack occurs only against a background of high temperature and lasts less than 15 minutes.

If convulsions at a temperature in a child last more than 15 minutes, then it must be examined for the presence of epilepsy, even if this disease has never occurred in the family.

When an attack begins, the child turns pale, the skin acquires a bluish tint, it may become cold to the touch. Febrile convulsions in children are accompanied by loss of consciousness. His body tenses, due to excessive muscle tension, the head falls back, then rhythmic twitching of the limbs, sometimes of the whole body, joins. Often the attack lasts from 3 to 7 minutes. After an attack, the child comes to his senses, consciousness gradually returns, all muscles relax, the baby seems to go limp. On top of the attack, an act of involuntary urination and defecation occurs. Color skin normalizes.

Types of seizures

Febrile seizures are very similar to epileptoid seizures, but they may not be total. There are the following types of seizures that provoke febrile temperature:

Tonic - manifested in the form of an increase in tone, muscle tension, the child presses his arms to his chest, his legs are straightened as much as possible, his head is thrown back, in extreme cases it may seem that the child touches the bed for several seconds only with his heels and the back of his head, the body shudders synchronously;
Atonic - complete relaxation of all muscles, accompanied by urination and defecation.

As a rule, the tonic component is replaced by an atonic one.

Classification

Like any other disease, febrile convulsions have their own classification according to ICD-10, but they are not distinguished into a separate disease. They are most often assigned the code R56.0 Convulsions with fever, less commonly classified as R56.8 Other and unspecified convulsions

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of febrile convulsions has its own characteristics. The doctor needs to take into account the age of the patient, the presence of a pathology of the central nervous system, it is important to collect an anamnesis of the child's life. It is necessary to clarify with relatives the presence in the past of episodes of convulsions of another genesis.

In addition to standard tests, clinical and biochemical analysis blood, clinical analysis of urine. The child is also given a blood test for electrolytes. Sometimes convulsions at a temperature in a child can occur due to an electrolyte imbalance. All processes in a child's body proceed much faster than in an adult, including compensatory processes. In the presence of metabolic syndrome, seizures may also occur during febrile temperature but they have a different pathogenesis. That is why this condition is less dangerous for the baby.

An experienced pediatrician can already on the basis of the collected data clinical analyzes, estimate physical condition and psychomotor development of the child, to establish a diagnosis. But the child still needs to be consulted by a neurologist, who will determine whether an EEG and MRI of the brain should be done. With febrile convulsions, these studies are not informative, since such a patient does not have an organic pathology of the brain.

The etiology of the initial disease matters only if a neuroinfection that caused convulsive symptoms is suspected. Such patients undergo a lumbar puncture.

Treatment

Main complex drug treatment in addition to etiotropic, that is, the treatment of the very cause of the disease, it is aimed at lowering the temperature to subfebrile figures (37.5 ºС). Small patients are prescribed drugs that reduce body temperature (antipyretics): Paracetamol in rectal suppositories, Ibuprofen in syrup.

According to modern treatment protocols, young children are prohibited from injecting a lytic mixture - analgin with diphenhydramine, but Analgin can be used in tablets or rectal suppositories. It gives positive momentum.

If the child has a "closed" microcirculatory vascular bed, it is possible to use Papaverine. It relieves vasospasm, and the child will "give" the temperature to the environment.

Particular attention should be paid to physical methods of cooling: you can make a cool compress on the forehead and main vessels(neck - carotid artery, thigh - femur), wiping with water or a water-alcohol mixture of the child's body, airing the room.

The convulsive attack itself is stopped by Diazepam, Lorazepam, Phenobarbital. Anticonvulsants are prescribed only if the child has repeated convulsions many times, or if he enters febrile status epilepticus. This is a terrible consequence of the high temperature.

For such a patient, the optimal position is on the side with the head slightly thrown back. This will avoid aspiration of vomit at the peak of the attack. In a hospital, additional oxygenation of the inhaled air occurs through a mask.

If parents already know about the presence of such a feature in their child, then the temperature should not be allowed to rise to febrile levels. It begins to decrease after 37.5-37.8 ºС. Some neurologists prescribe diazepam to prevent febrile seizures in the first days of fever, but its effectiveness has not been clinically proven. Another option for prevention is prescribing diacarb in preventive doses, but its effect on febrile convulsions is also doubtful.

Clinical examination

Children who have had febrile convulsions are shown dispensary observation of a pediatrician and a neuropathologist at the place of residence. While the pediatrician looks after general condition and the development of the child, the presence of symptoms somatic diseases, the task of a neuropathologist is to competently examine a child and exclude pathology of the central nervous system from him. As a rule, competent dispensary observation helps to prevent febrile convulsions in the future.

Another important task of neurologists is communication with the parents of such a patient. They need to correctly and clearly explain the peculiarity of their situation, what consequences such a condition can have for their baby, and most importantly, how to behave correctly and what to do in case of febrile convulsions.

Clinically, FS is manifested by loss of consciousness with arching of the back, twitching of the limbs, blanching of the skin. Treatment consists in taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antiepileptic drugs, tranquilizers. Upon reaching the age of six, as a rule, temperature cramps disappear. In rare cases, they can transform into epilepsy.

What is FS

Febrile seizures in pediatrics are classified as a neurological disorder. They are tonic or tonic-clonic seizures: in the first case, muscle spasm is prolonged, in the second case, muscle contractions alternate with periods of relaxation. They can also be typical (in 90% of patients) or atypical. They develop against the background of a rise in the child's body temperature above 37.8 ⁰С and loss of consciousness.

FS is a fairly common phenomenon: among children aged six months to 6 years, it occurs in 2-5% of cases. Most often, temperature cramps are observed in one and a half year old babies, with the majority being boys. It has been established that heredity is one of the main causes of this type of convulsive syndrome. In a quarter of children, parents suffered from it in childhood, and in 80% of convulsive syndromes of various etiologies are present in the anamnesis of the family. After reaching the age of six, such seizures, as a rule, do not occur.

The reasons

The causes and mechanism of development of febrile convulsions have not been reliably elucidated. Presumably, seizures against the background of hyperthermia are a consequence of the immaturity of the central nervous system in early childhood. Due to the predominance of excitation over inhibition, the stimulus (in this case, high temperature) leads to a generalization of the process. Thus, any conditions and diseases in which hyperthermia is observed can be attributed to provoking factors:

viral infections usually caused by herpesvirus type 4;
infectious and inflammatory processes of bacterial origin (diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory organs;
psychogenic, endocrine and other pathologies accompanied by fever;
changes in water and electrolyte balance (hypercalcemia);
teething;
reaction to some vaccines (MMR or DTP).

Genetics are also potential causes of febrile seizures in children. If parents or other family members in early childhood If such seizures were observed, then the probability of their occurrence in offspring reaches 25%.

Symptoms

Temperature cramps for the first time can be observed in a child aged from six months to 18 months. After the temperature rises to 37.8 ⁰С and more during the day, characteristic symptoms fit. It proceeds according to the type of generalized epileptic in the following sequence:

loss of consciousness;
spasm of the muscles of the limbs;
tonic convulsions of the whole body (the child arches and throws back his head due to the rigidity of the occipital muscles);
pallor and even cyanosis of the skin;
convulsions of the arms and legs.

After that, the attack ends, and the symptoms disappear in the reverse order. Having regained consciousness, the baby remains drowsy and lethargic for some time. The duration of the seizure usually does not exceed one minute, which is typical for a typical FS variety. In the atypical form of the disorder, an increase in the period of convulsions is observed.

Focal symptoms may be added to the general symptoms; in this case, changes in the electrical activity of the brain are noted on the EEG. If spasms are repeated already against the background of a decrease in temperature, we are talking about subfebrile convulsions in children. Atypical seizures are less common and usually indicate the presence of congenital pathologies CNS or birth trauma.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis begins with a physical examination of the child by a pediatrician and a history taking. When interviewing parents, the doctor specifies the age at which temperature cramps first occurred, the duration of the attack, and the presence of such disorders in the family history. Additionally, the somatic condition of a small patient, his neurological status, the level of psychophysical development. If it is possible to observe a seizure, its duration and the presence of focal signs are assessed.

A urinalysis is prescribed, according to which hypercalcemia can be detected - a violation of the water and electrolyte balance. For the purpose of discovering chromosomal mutations as a probable cause of the pathology, a genetic study (karyotyping) is shown. All subsequent diagnostic manipulations are aimed at differentiating subfebrile seizures from other diseases with similar symptoms. For exclusion intracranial hypertension and anomalies in the development of the central nervous system, EEG, MRI and CT are performed. A lumbar puncture is done if encephalitis or meningitis is suspected.

First aid

Since such seizures develop suddenly and look quite frightening, the natural reaction of an unprepared adult is panic. What should parents do? First of all, calm down: the attack in most cases lasts no more than a minute and passes by itself.

With febrile convulsions in children, first aid is to give a safe position to the body. The child should be laid on its side to prevent aspiration of the contents of the stomach if vomiting occurs, and kept in this position. With convulsions of the limbs, this should be done carefully, since you can inadvertently cause injury.

After the convulsions are over, measures should be taken to reduce the temperature (open the window, give the baby an antipyretic, wipe it with water), then seek qualified help.

Treatment

Medical therapy in febrile convulsions in children is reduced to stopping the attack. For this, first of all, antipyretics (Paracetamol), natural cooling and rubbing the body with water are used. If the listed funds do not have the desired effect, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Ibuprofen are indicated. In the future, if the child falls ill again with an increase in temperature, the timely use of antipyretics can prevent a seizure.

The convulsive syndrome is stopped by tranquilizers that are effective and safe for the child. The most commonly used drugs are the benzodiazepine group - diazepam injection intravenously, for example. If febrile convulsions in a child are atypical, carboxamide derivatives and barbiturates are used. It is possible to prescribe a course of tranquilizers and diuretics in order to prevent the occurrence of repeated attacks.

In the treatment of a typical form of FS, not associated with heredity, pathologies and injuries of the central nervous system, great importance has a primary disease therapy. In case of infections, antiviral or antibiotics are used, the water-electrolyte balance is restored. If there is information in the anamnesis about a similar reaction to vaccination, then after revaccination, a prophylactic course of Paracetamol is indicated.

Forecast

In general, the prognosis is favorable, since in the vast majority of cases, after reaching the age of six, no seizures are observed against the background of high temperature. At the same time, there is no effect on intellectual abilities and psychophysical development. An alternative to complete recovery is the transformation of febrile seizures into epilepsy, which occurs in 5-15% of the total. This group usually includes children with atypical SF.

Many parents have experienced febrile seizures at least once in their lives. They usually occur in young children when the body temperature rises to high levels. To avoid the consequences associated with such a symptom, it is necessary to provide the child with assistance and be examined by specialists.

As a rule, convulsions themselves are not dangerous, but they signal serious disorders in the body, so you should consult a doctor at the first such sign. Causes of seizures are usually life threatening if left untreated, often associated with epilepsy and serious neurological disorders.

Definition

Febrile seizures are neurological disease, in which a spasm of muscle tissue occurs at a body temperature of 38 degrees. Typically, this pathology affects children of younger and preschool age, less often schoolchildren and extremely rarely adult patients.

It is worth noting that if convulsions occur without an increase in temperature, then they are not called febrile. In addition, febrile convulsions can transform into afebrile ones, that is, they can occur without an increase in temperature, in which case the disease can be complicated by epilepsy.

The reasons

The provocateur of febrile convulsions are infections that easily enter the weak and imperfect body of a small child. Most of the children who were diagnosed with febrile seizures were ill just against the background of infectious diseases. The herpes virus type 6 is especially dangerous.

Also, other factors of a non-infectious nature can provoke febrile convulsions, in which there is a sharp increase in the temperature of the child's body:

hereditary predisposition. The mechanism of inheritance of the pathology is not fully understood, but according to statistics, most children who suffer from febrile convulsions have relatives with the same pathology. In a quarter of all patients, parents suffered from pathology, and only 20% of patients did not have a single mention of convulsions in their family.
An increase in temperature due to endocrine disruptions, mental trauma, due to disorders of the central nervous system.
An increase in temperature as a protective reaction during teething in babies;
Violation of the exchange of certain microelements;
Fever after vaccination.

It is worth noting that febrile convulsions are not fully understood, so it is difficult to name the exact reason why they occur. But when examining a child, doctors often find various pathologies that require immediate treatment, so we can say that convulsions are a kind of manifestation of some kind of malfunction in the body.

Symptoms

The symptoms of febrile seizures are very similar to those of an epileptic seizure, but they are not. Usually, with febrile seizures, the limbs are symmetrically affected, but sometimes the seizure can occur in another way. There are two types of febrile seizures with characteristic symptoms:

Typical.

Tonic convulsions occur suddenly, the child falls, straightens his legs and presses his arms to his chest, throws his head back and rolls his eyes. Then the child begins to shudder rhythmically, often at first, but gradually less and less often, until the attack completely passes.
With atonic convulsions, the baby abruptly becomes lethargic, stops doing anything, his body becomes limp, he stops moving, including stopping his gaze, while the skin becomes pale. Most often, such an attack lasts no more than 5 minutes, in rare cases it can reach 10-15 minutes.

Atypical.

These seizures usually take long time sometimes more than 15 minutes. After them, delays in speech and motor development are often observed. Atypical seizures may be asymmetrical, affecting only one half of the body, and often show movement eyeballs or taking them to the side.

If a child is prone to the appearance of febrile convulsions, then they most often appear on the first day after the temperature rises, and sometimes even in the first hours. It should be noted that the duration and type of seizure do not depend on the height of the temperature, but with febrile convulsions it is always above 38 degrees.

First aid

Most parents who first encountered febrile seizures in their child usually panic, but this is absolutely not recommended, you need to remain calm and provide the child with the first medical care to avoid any complications.

If a child has signs of a febrile seizure, you need to act immediately:

First of all, it is necessary to put the child on a flat, soft, but not too soft surface, it can be a bed, a soft carpet, or a table covered with a blanket, and on the street you can lay the child on the grass. This is necessary to eliminate the risk of injury during convulsions, since the child can literally beat his head and whole body against the surface on which he lies. Do not place your child on a pillow or a very soft bed, as they may roll over and suffocate.
It is necessary to ensure that the child does not choke on saliva and does not choke on vomit. To do this, it is recommended to put the child on its side and hold it slightly so that it does not collapse. On the side it will be easier to breathe and in case of vomiting, it will freely come out.
As soon as the child has been moved to the required surface, it is urgent to call an ambulance.
You can not press the child to the surface with force to stop the convulsions. This will not give a positive effect, and careless movements can damage the limbs of the child, even provoking fractures.
You can not put anything in the child's mouth. The fact that the baby can choke on the tongue is a myth, and to avoid closing the airways, you need to put the child on its side - this will be enough. The introduction of various objects into the oral cavity can lead to injuries to the teeth and jaw, in addition, the object or teeth can break due to such manipulations, while there is a risk of fragments entering the lungs and even death.
It is impossible to give the child water or medicine during convulsions, the child can simply choke. You need to wait at least 15 minutes after the attack and make sure that the baby has come to his senses.
It is strongly not recommended to leave the child alone during an attack even for a second, this can lead to irreversible consequences.

Diagnostics

Parents whose children have suffered febrile convulsions should first show the child to a neurologist. Most often, convulsions are one of the symptoms of a serious pathology that requires urgent and adequate treatment.

First of all, the doctor examines the patient, checks the reflexes and interviews the parents. It is necessary to remember whether there were people with similar problems in the family, you need to remember how long the attack lasted for the child and in what position the baby was.

To confirm the diagnosis and identify various pathologies, the doctor sends a small patient to a series of studies:

Blood tests;
Urinalysis;
ultrasound of the brain;
MRI if necessary;
Sometimes a puncture of the cerebrospinal fluid may be indicated;
The doctor also checks the level of development of the child according to age, how he moves, says whether he holds objects normally, and so on.

Based on the studies described above, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes the appropriate treatment. It is important to understand that the earlier the parents asked for help and began to treat the baby, the less likely the complications. Often, febrile convulsions become a symptom of very serious illnesses that can even lead to disability.

Treatment

During an attack, first of all, you need to give the child first aid so that he does not get injured and does not choke. It is also worth noting that the body temperature is usually very high at this moment, so the child should be undressed and wiped with a wet towel, while the water should not be ice cold. You should not use vinegar or water for these purposes, it is very dangerous for young children, since harmful substances easily enter the body through thin skin and can cause intoxication.

It is also possible to use during an attack medicines. Usually, psychotropic substances or tranquilizers help with convulsions, they are prescribed only by a doctor if there are serious indications. Such drugs cannot be used uncontrollably, especially given to young children, it can be very dangerous.

For febrile seizures, the following medications are prescribed:

Diazepam is a psychotropic and antiepileptic drug.
Lorazepam is a psychotropic drug.
Phenobarbital is an antiepileptic and hypnotic drug.

Treatment after an attack is primarily in the suppression of high temperature. If an infection is the cause of the temperature increase, then the small patient will be prescribed an antiviral or antibacterial agent, and the use of drugs such as parcetamol and nurofen is also indicated, they relieve fever and inflammation.

To avoid repeated seizures, it is necessary to identify the cause of their occurrence, if neurological disorders are detected, the child will be prescribed the appropriate treatment for the diagnosis. Febrile seizures themselves are treated only in cases where they often recur and harm the child, for example, cause inhibition in development. Long-term antiepileptic drugs may be prescribed.

It is important to understand that in order to prescribe treatment, it is necessary to undergo an examination by an experienced specialist who can identify the cause of seizures and prescribe the appropriate treatment for a particular child. Self-prescription of psychotropic drugs for a child is as dangerous as complete inaction, it is necessary to find a middle ground with the help of an experienced doctor and cure the child.

Prevention

Healthy children do not need any special prophylaxis for febrile seizures. Parents should provide the child with a healthy and wholesome diet, regular walks and timely examinations by a pediatrician and a neurologist. Such measures will help strengthen the body, notice changes in the development of early stages and take the necessary measures to prevent complications.

In children who have already suffered febrile convulsions, only a doctor prescribes prophylaxis. This may be a course of treatment with sedative drugs, and strengthening of general immunity also plays an important role in order to reduce the risk of infection and the temperature rise to high levels again.

Do not give your child any sedatives or antiepileptic drugs at your own discretion, unless the doctor recommended it. It is important to understand that all children develop differently, so even seizures do not always have to be treated with medication.

Every parent should know that anti-anxiety medications have a very powerful effect on nervous system baby and can greatly oppress her. Even the regular use of ordinary valerian by a small child without indications led to a serious violation of the growth and development of the child, since valerian slows down brain activity. The same thing happens with the use of psychotropic drugs, only the effect is stronger.

Complications and prognosis

An accurate prognosis for a particular patient can only be given by the attending physician, since the consequences may be different. The severity of complications depends on the type of febrile seizures, their duration, frequency. Often no complications occur and the child recovers completely after a course of treatment, in this case, convulsions occur only once.

Complex forms of febrile seizures can turn into epilepsy, this occurs in 10% of all cases. But after seizures, the child often has developmental delays, this is due to neurological disorders. Such complications are most often found in the atypical form of febrile convulsions.

Particularly dangerous are seizures in babies under 6 months old, since the child's body during this period is still very weak. Parents who suffered from a similar pathology in childhood should regularly show the baby to a neurologist and monitor the child's condition, and prevent the child from contacting infections.

Unfortunately, febrile convulsions are not yet fully understood, so the exact causes of the onset of the disease and ways to avoid it are not known. All that parents can do is to regularly examine the baby and provide him with a quality and healthy life.