FEVER PITCH
About one in every 25 children experience febrile seizures. Brought on by a fever and commonly seen in children between six months and five years, they can last less than 15 minutes (simple) or longer than 15 minutes (complex). “Typically, they last a couple of minutes,” says Dr. Lily Tran.
SEIZURE SYMPTOMS
Seeing your child experience a febrile seizure can be scary, but unless they go on for five minutes or longer, they are not life-threatening, says Dr. Tran. “Overwhelmingly, the kids will turn out fine,” says Dr. Tran. “If it’s the first time, it’s not unusual to take the child to the emergency room to identify the cause of fever and have a medical evaluation.” Typically there is a family history of febrile seizures.
TREATMENT TIME
If your child experiences a febrile seizure, use these tips when responding:
If it’s the first seizure, seek medical attention and call 911 if it lasts longer than 5 minutes. “If a child has a fever, take the routine practice to treat it, including keeping your child well hydrated and seeking medical advice regarding treatment of the fever,” says Dr. Tran.
FEBRILE FOLLOW UP
“Parents may see their child be tired, sleepy or irritable following a seizure, but he/she should return to his/her baseline self within a couple of hours and continue to recover to their normal self. If parents have any concerns, they should contact their medical provider.” says Dr. Tran.
FAST FACTS
Dr. Lily Tran did her internship and residency at the Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and her fellowship at both Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and University Hospital. Her special interests include epilepsy. Dr. Tran’s philosophy of care:”Teamwork between myself and the family/primary caregiver to provide the best care for my patients.”
EDUCATION
University of Rochester School of
Medicine and Dentistry
BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
Psychiatry, Neurology and
Child Neurology
About one in 25 children will suffer a febrile seizure, a convulsion induced by fever. Seeing a child endure a seizure is terrifying, but parents can rest assured that febrile seizures are not life-threatening and do not have lasting consequences.
Calm your fears and learn more about febrile seizures from Dr. Lily Tran, a CHOC neurologist.
Febrile seizures are convulsions that opccur in some children with fevers. Although they can be frightening, febrile seizures usually stop on their own after a few minutes and don’t cause any other health problems. View this tip sheet to learn the signs and symptoms, what to do and when to seek emergency.
You’ve probably experienced waking in the middle of the night to find your child flushed, hot, and sweaty. Your little one’s forehead feels warm. You immediately suspect a fever, but are unsure of what to do next. Should you get out the thermometer? Call the doctor?
In healthy kids, fevers usually don’t indicate anything serious. Although it can be frightening when your child’s temperature rises, fever itself causes no harm and can actually be a good thing. Read on to get the fever facts and even take a quiz to see how much you already know about fevers.
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