Ask Chai Care: What is a Febrile Seizure?

David W. asks: What is a febrile seizure, and what should I do if my child is having it?

What’s more frightening than watching a child suffer?

If you are having a hard time answering that question, it’s because you’re a good person. As adults, we have a moral obligation to protect our youth and help them in every way we can, but we can only do so much. Unfortunately, unexpected accidents and illnesses do happen but in today’s world, we can easily access proactive information on how best to live our lives so we can educate ourselves on the signs, symptoms, and ways to avoid these medical mishaps.

There are many diseases, illnesses, and viruses that are exclusive to children, but Febrile seizures are one that has been happening more frequently these days. Don’t know what a Febrile Seizure is? Chai Care is here to help.

Febrile Seizures

Essentially, a febrile seizure is a convulsion that a child has when they have a nasty fever. They typically occur on the first day of the fever and generally last only a few minutes. If the seizure lasts longer than five minutes and the child struggles to breathe you should seek medical attention because it has the potential of leading to something more harmful. The good news is most medical professionals would agree that many cases are overall harmless, but that doesn’t mean you should take it lightly.

It’s important to note that if you are in the presence of a child having one of these seizures, stay calm and do your best to comfort them to the best of your ability. It may be difficult to not show panic, especially if this is your child or loved one, but if you show distress and terror, this could heighten the seizure.

Signs of a Febrile Seizure

Typically, when a child is undergoing one of these seizures they will shake and at times lose consciousness, however, there are times when the person may become stiff and only twitch in one area of the body.

If the child has over a 100-degree fever, vomits, has breathing problems, loses consciousness, experiences extreme sleepiness, or their arms and legs shake or jerk, they are most likely experiencing a Febrile Seizure. But there are two kinds: Simple Febrile Seizures and Complex Febrile Seizures.

A simple one would be if the child has a seizure for only a few seconds and it would not happen again in a 24-hour period.

A Complex Febrile Seizure can last longer than fifteen minutes and would occur more than once in a single day. If this is the case, seek medical attention ASAP because it is an emergency.

What to Do if Your Child is Having a Febrile Seizure

Whether it be a simple or complex Febrile Seizure, after it’s over, you should consult a medical professional, because it can be a sign of something worse and it never hurts to play things safe, especially when it comes to children.

Fortunately, Chai Care is a reliable urgent care facility that will always be here when you need us most. Our trained staff will do their best to offer you top-notch treatment and inform you of ways how you and your family can stay healthy!

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.