1 / 14

Febrile Seizures

Febrile Seizures. Child Care Health Consultation Program Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services and Your Local Health Department. Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics www.healthychildren.org. What is a Febrile Seizure?. Caused by child having a fever

rufusc
Download Presentation

Febrile Seizures

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Febrile Seizures Child Care Health Consultation Program Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services and Your Local Health Department Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics www.healthychildren.org

  2. What is a Febrile Seizure? • Caused by child having a fever • Happen in 3 or 4 of every 100 children ages 0 to 5, most often 12-18 month age group • If child is < 1 year of age, 50% chance is they could have another febrile seizure • If child is > 1 year of age, 30% chance they will have another • A very small number of children who have febrile seizures ever develop epilepsy

  3. What is a Febrile Seizure? • Usually happen during first few hours of a fever • Child looks strange, stiffens, may twitch or roll eyes • May be unresponsive for a short time • Quickly returns to normal after the seizure • Usually last less than 1 minute, rarely will happen more than once in 24 hours

  4. Are Febrile Seizures Dangerous? • They are scary, but will not harm the child • Febrile seizures do not cause brain damage, nervous system problems, paralysis, intellectual disability, or death • Febrile seizures do not cause long term health problems

  5. What Causes Fever? • Usually a sign of an infection somewhere in the body • A defense mechanism to help the body fight infections • Not all fevers need treatment • Note how child is behaving (eating, drinking, or listless)

  6. Temperature Tips • Temperature is 100.4 degrees (F) or higher • Use a multipurpose digital thermometer to take temp • Use rectally if up to 3 years of age • Use orally for children 4-5 years and older • Or can take axillary (under arm)

  7. Temperature Tips • Make sure you report the method (oral, rectal or under the arm) that you took the temperature • Any temp over 100.4 on children less than 12 weeks old should be reported to their doctor • Any temp over 104 on any age should be reported to a doctor

  8. Tips for Treating Fevers • Keep the child dressed comfortably—layers of light clothes, but not smothered • Make sure they get fluids to avoid getting dehydrated—dehydration can become serious quickly in young children

  9. Tips for Treating Fevers When to Call the Doctor • Child is younger than 2 to 4 months old and has a fever. • Child is lethargic, unresponsive, refuses to eat, has a rash, or is having difficulty breathing. • You observe signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, a sunken soft spot, or significantly fewer wet diapers. • Child’s fever lasts more than a few days. • Child experiences a febrile seizure

  10. What to Do During a Febrile Seizure • Remain calm • Move child to floor, or place away from hard or sharp objects • Do not put anything in their mouth • Turn their head to the side so that they don’t choke on fluids in their mouth • Call the doctor • If seizure doesn’t stop in 5 minutes, call 911 or local emergency number

  11. Treatment for Fevers • It is important for the doctor to find the cause for the fever which caused the seizure—to rule out serious infections such as meningitis • If medicines like ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) are used to reduce the fever, make sure dosage is correct as prescribed by the doctor

  12. Treatment for Fevers • Fever lowering medicines can reduce the fever but they don’t prevent the seizures--the seizures are caused by the fever • Remember it is important to prevent dehydration—so make sure the child is able to take plenty of fluids

  13. Review • Seizure and Epilepsy Basics • Epileptic seizure triggers • Seizure Disorders • Febrile Seizures • First Aid

  14. Resources • Epilepsy Foundation http://www.epilepsy.com/ • American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/Fever-Without-Fear.aspx

More Related