Seizures are a motor disorder and are manifested by pathological muscle contraction. They develop with various injuries and diseases of the nervous system, with severe intoxications or poisoning, can accompany metabolic disorders, and also occur with various forms of neurosis and endocrine pathologies.
In most cases, convulsions are characterized by a paroxysmal nature and a neurological etiology (occur against the background of brain pathologies).
They are tonic and clonic. The tonic appearance of seizures is characterized by tension of muscle fibers for a long time. They are painless, although in some cases they can be accompanied by severe pain, especially with seizures of the legs that occur against the background of ischemia of their muscles. The tonic appearance of seizures is also observed with myotonia and epilepsy.
Clonic cramps - rapid muscle contraction. They occur at very short intervals and are observed with infectious damage to the brain, can be a manifestation of a hereditary damage to the nervous system, occur with epidemic encephalitis, and also with epilepsy after attacks of tonic seizures.
It is also worth mentioning febrile seizures, which often occur among children at high body temperature and may indicate impaired brain function. Most often, this type of seizure occurs with viral infections, flu, sore throat, bronchitis or pneumonia, when the body temperature is higher than 38 ° C, because the blood supply to the head is disturbed and metabolic disorders occur, which increases the brain's readiness for seizures. An important role is played by a hereditary predisposition.
Often, cramps in a child occur on the first day of high temperature and are manifested by loss of consciousness, tension of the whole body, twitching of arms and legs. Some children may experience foam from the mouth or urinate, although there are also cases where the clinical manifestations are erased.
I must say that febrile seizures occur only once and rarely recur during the day. However, they indicate a high risk of developing epilepsy.
What if your child has febrile seizures?
• calm down and not try to restrain convulsive movements;
• put the child on a flat surface, put a pillow under his head;
• turn your head to the side, which will help prevent tongue retraction and the entry of saliva into the respiratory system;
• Do not try to open your mouth;
• Do not do mechanical ventilation or heart massage.
Febrile cramps disappear on their own in a few minutes. If the attack lasts more than 5 minutes, and breathing becomes difficult, you must call an ambulance.
In order to prevent this pathology, at a high temperature in the child you need to give antipyretic drugs, for example, "Paracetamol". If the convulsions are prolonged or recurring, the administration of the drugs "Diazepam", "Seduxen", "Relanium" is indicated. If there is a risk of seizures against a background of high temperature, prophylaxis is carried out by the appointment of anticonvulsants.