Nothing will relieve your baby’s fever faster or for longer than nurofen for children.
Febrile Convulsion
What is a febrile convulsion?
Febrile convulsions occur in babies and young children when there is a rapid increase in their body temperature. It affects up to 1 in 20 children between the ages of one and four years of age but can affect children between six months and about five years old*.
What is the risk of suffering a febrile convulsion?
Children may inherit the tendency to suffer febrile convulsion from their parents.
- If either parent suffered a febrile convulsion as a child, the risk of the child getting it rises 10 to 20 per cent *.
- If both parents and their child have at some point suffered a febrile convulsion, the risk of another child getting it rises 20 to 30 per cent *.
About 4 out of 10 children who have had febrile convulsions will get them again at some stage*, although the risk differs greatly from child to child. The child's risk of febrile convulsion rises if:
- they are genetically predisposed to it
- they suffer frequent illnesses, which include high temperatures
- the first attack of febrile convulsion was accompanied by a relatively low body temperature - below 39°C.
Children who are prone to febrile convulsions should follow the same programme of vaccination as all other children.
What are the symptoms?
- The attack often begins with the child losing consciousness, and shortly afterwards the body, legs and arms go stiff.
- The head is thrown backwards and the legs and arms begins to jerk.
- The skin goes pale and may even turn blue briefly.
- The attack ends after a few minutes and the shaking stops. The child goes limp, and then normal colour and consciousness slowly return.
- Some children regain consciousness faster than others.
What to do if your child suffers an attack of febrile convulsion
Firstly, try to keep calm. Bear in mind that a febrile convulsion is unlikely to cause any harm or damage.
Hold the child in your arms, or lie the child down on a soft surface like a cot or bed with their head below their body if possible. Don’t restrain the child, but take off any warm clothing and loosen anything tight. If the child is sucking a dummy, gently remove it. Don’t try to give anything to eat or drink during the convulsion.
Once the child is fully conscious, try giving infant liquid ibuprofen or paracetamol to reduce the child’s temperature. If the child wants to go to sleep, prop them on their side using a rolled up blanket so the child doesn’t roll onto their back.
You may have been given further advice regarding medication if the child has had a previous febrile convulsion.
Does the child have a temperature?
- Make sure the child is not too hot by removing extra clothing or bedclothes. If the room temperature seems high, open a window, but bear in mind that the child should not get too cold either. Give the child plenty of cold drinks.
- Some doctors advise parents to give the child mild painkillers such as paracetamol (eg Disprol) or ibuprofen (eg Nurofen for children) to treat fever. It is important to give the recommended dose only.
Although febrile convulsions look like epileptic fits, they rarely have anything in common with this illness. Ninety-nine per cent of children who have had a febrile convulsion have no more fits after they reach school age.
What are the chances of it happening again?
The length of time that the convulsion lasts is also important. If a first convulsion lasts a long time – rarely, this can be up to 15 minutes – further convulsions are more likely in the future.
But the good news is that six out of ten children who have one febrile convulsion never have another. (Source: www.childfirst.nhs.uk).
Are there any associated risks?
Children who have long febrile convulsions have a slightly higher risk of developing epilepsy, although the risk is small. For a very small minority, a febrile convulsion may be a sign of an underlying neurological problem.
Looking forward
The vast majority of children, including those who have had several febrile convulsions, will stop having them well before they start school.
Nurofen for Children. Contains Ibuprofen. For the relief of pain and fever. Always read the label.
Disprol Paracetamol Suspension. Contains Paracetamol. For the relief of pain and fever. Always read the label.
* Source: www.netdoctor.co.uk
