Febrile Seizures
When a fever triggers a seizure - scary to witness, but usually harmless
What Happened
Your child had a febrile seizure, which is a convulsion triggered by a rapid rise in body temperature, most often during a fever from a common illness like a cold or ear infection. Febrile seizures are NOT epilepsy, and they do not mean your child has a seizure disorder. They happen because a young child's developing brain is more sensitive to fever. These seizures are the most common type of convulsion in children, occurring in about 2–5% of children between 6 months and 5 years of age. A simple febrile seizure typically lasts less than 15 minutes, involves the whole body (generalized shaking), and happens only once in a 24-hour period.
Key Facts
- Febrile seizures affect 2–5% of children between 6 months and 5 years old - they are common.
- They are caused by fever, not by the illness itself. Even a low-grade fever can trigger one if the temperature rises quickly.
- Simple febrile seizures (lasting under 15 minutes) do not cause brain damage, developmental delays, or epilepsy.
- About 1 in 3 children (roughly 30%) who have one febrile seizure will have another one during a future illness with fever.
- The risk of developing epilepsy after simple febrile seizures is only slightly higher than in the general population (about 1–2%).
- Febrile seizures tend to run in families. If a parent or sibling had them, your child may be more likely to have one.
What to Expect
- Your child may be sleepy, confused, or irritable for a short time after the seizure. This is normal and is called the postictal period.
- Your pediatrician will likely examine your child to identify the cause of the fever (such as an ear infection or virus), not the seizure itself.
- In most cases, no further testing (EEG, brain imaging) is needed after a simple febrile seizure.
- Your doctor will probably not prescribe daily anti-seizure medication, since the risks of medication outweigh the benefits for simple febrile seizures.
- If your child has another fever in the future, you may see another seizure - this does not mean something is getting worse.
When to Worry
- Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
- Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing, turns blue, or does not start to recover within a few minutes after the seizure stops.
- Call 911 if a second seizure occurs within the same 24-hour period.
- See your doctor the same day if this is your child's first seizure of any kind.
- See your doctor if the seizure involved only one side of the body (focal seizure), as this may need further evaluation.
- See your doctor if your child is under 6 months old or over 5 years old, as seizures in these age groups are less commonly simple febrile seizures.
Your Action Plan
- During a seizure: place your child on their side on a safe surface. Do NOT put anything in their mouth. Time the seizure.
- After the seizure: keep your child comfortable and monitor their breathing. They will likely be drowsy - this is expected.
- Treat the underlying fever with age-appropriate acetaminophen or ibuprofen (ibuprofen only for children 6 months and older). This helps comfort but does not prevent future febrile seizures.
- For future fevers: stay calm. You now know what a febrile seizure looks like. Have a plan (timer, safe surface) and know when to call 911 (seizure over 5 minutes).
- Talk to your pediatrician about whether a rescue medication (such as rectal diazepam) should be prescribed to have on hand, especially if your child has a history of prolonged seizures.
- Let caregivers, daycare providers, and family members know what to do if a seizure occurs while your child is in their care.
Sources
Subcommittee on Febrile Seizures. Neurodiagnostic evaluation of the child with a simple febrile seizure. Pediatrics. 2011;127(2):389-394.
Febrile Seizures Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health.
Seizures and Epilepsy: Information for Parents.