Febrile convulsions in a child: causes, symptoms, first aid

During high fever, febrile seizures may occur in the child. This is a pathological condition that often accompanies hyperthermia. Untrained parents, faced with a similar phenomenon, come in a state of shock. However, the crumbs need urgent help! Delay in such a situation is deadly.

What are febrile seizures?

To provide first aid, you need to understand what you are dealing with. Febrile seizures in a child are seizures that occur as a result of high temperature, usually exceeding 38 degrees. This phenomenon is characteristic of children under 6 years of age, in whom convulsive attacks have never been observed.

The treatment of this condition depends entirely on its duration. If febrile seizures in a child last no more than 15 minutes, then crumbs are necessary:

• antipyretic medicine;
• control over his condition.

A pathology that lasts longer than the above time requires special medication.

Febrile seizures are observed in babies under 6 years old. If a similar phenomenon occurs in children at an older age, then you need to contact a professional doctor. In this case, it is likely that this means that the child has epilepsy.

The reasons for this condition

The question often arises: what triggered febrile seizures in children? The reasons that cause this condition have not yet been fully established.

Doctors concluded that some of the sources that result in these convulsions are:

• immaturity of the nervous system;
• insufficient strength of inhibitory processes in the brain.

As a result of this underdevelopment, the transmission of excitation between cells leads to seizures. Therefore, this condition is characteristic only for children under 6 years of age.

Febrile cramps occur in babies only against the background of high fever. This condition can lead to:

• common cold;
• ARVI;
• vaccinations;
• teething;
• flu.

Of great importance is the genetic predisposition. If a mother or father has ever experienced bouts of seizures, then it is likely that a baby may also encounter a similar phenomenon.

Condition signs

The first thing to remember: only against the background of hyperthermia can febrile seizures develop.

Symptoms of this condition are fairly easy to recognize:

1. During high temperature, the baby has hyperemic skin. Before the attack, the child turns very sharp. Sometimes integuments become cyanotic.
2. The baby’s body is covered with sticky cold sweat.
3. The baby becomes inhibited. He does not respond to appeal to him. His condition resembles numbness.
4. The onset of an attack is accompanied by stretching the child’s body. The baby lacks air.
5. The kid throws back his head. Very often it freezes with its limbs extended forward.
6. The child may lose consciousness. The eyes of the child are rolled up, and the teeth are very tightly clamped. Foam appears on the lips.
7. Distinguishable twitching on large muscle tissue. Sometimes the limbs freeze in the most relaxed state.
8. The baby's lips turn blue as a result of insufficient breathing.
9. Inadvertently, urine and feces exit.
10. The duration of the cramp is usually from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
11. After the first attack, many children have repeated convulsive seizures.

It is very important to timely stop this condition. The longer the baby has febrile seizures, the more dangerous the consequences will be for an immature organism.

Main types

Doctors do not treat febrile seizures in a child as epilepsy. However, they have very similar external signs with such a pathology.

The following types of febrile seizures may occur in a child:

1. Tonic. All the muscles of the crumb body are significantly tense. The child throws his head back, rolls his eyes. Straightening of the legs, bending of the arms to the chest is observed. Tension is replaced by involuntary twitches or rhythmic tremors. Gradually, they become rarer and completely disappear.
2. Atonic. The baby has an instant relaxation of all the muscle tissues of the body. In this condition, involuntary loss of urine and feces occurs.
3. Local. For this species, twitching of the limbs in the baby is characteristic. There is rolling eyes.

With any of the types of seizures, the baby does not react to words, actions of parents. The kid loses contact with the outside world. He does not cry, turns blue, and in some cases he is holding his breath.

First aid

Obviously, parents are very afraid when they see febrile seizures in children. First aid, correctly and timely rendered, is of great importance.

The onset of an attack cannot be stopped. An emergency response team must be called immediately. Before her arrival, all measures should be taken to protect the crumbs from undesirable consequences and various injuries.

So, if febrile seizures in a child begin, what to do:

1. Calm down and act confidently.
2. Call the ambulance team.
3. Remove tight clothes from the child, unfasten the collar, belt, belt.
4. Put the baby in a safe place. The surface should be flat. Turn the baby on his left side. This will allow you to access the airways of the air.
5. Be sure to remove hard, dangerous, sharp objects.
6. Fold the handkerchief into a tight tourniquet and place between the baby’s teeth. This will avoid biting the tongue during an attack.
7. Provide fresh air.

Sometimes an attack can begin from severe crying. In this case, reflex breathing of the crumbs should be restored. Sprinkle the baby with water, bring ammonia to the nose, press on the root of the tongue with a spoon. After this, it is recommended to give the child a sedative. Doctors advise using valerian tincture. The dosage is calculated as follows: the number of full years of the child is equal to the number of drops.

First aid for infants

If febrile seizures are observed in very tiny children, then some additional measures will be required from the parents.

It is important to ensure airway:

1. Cleanse the pharynx and mouth of an infant from food, mucus, and vomit. This procedure can be carried out using an electric pump or mechanically.
2. Prevent tongue dropping. To do this, it is recommended to install an air vent, if any. Otherwise, lift the lower jaw by the corners.
3. Turn the baby’s head to the side.

First aid for cramps followed by fever

Do not forget about the heat of the child. Hyperthermia also requires competent and quick first aid:

1. Undress the baby.
2. Provide ventilation to the room. By all means, reduce the temperature in the room.
3. Give the baby an antipyretic drug. Most preferred in this situation are candles containing paracetamol.

Use any method to lower your body temperature. It can be alcohol, vinegar, water rubdown, fanning. Cold can be applied to the femoral or carotid arteries.

Recommended Diagnostics

A child after febrile seizures experiences a lethargic, drowsy state. Most often, the kids do not remember what happened to them. They are poorly oriented in space.

If the child has cramps, then the baby should be shown to the baby neurologist. Only a doctor can rule out possible neurological causes that provoke such seizures. In other words, the doctor will be able to confirm that convulsions are not symptoms of various forms of epilepsy.

This will require a number of surveys:

• spinal puncture (analysis excludes the presence of meningitis and encephalitis);
• delivery of blood, urine;
• CT or MRI;
• EEG (electroencephalogram).

Seizure treatment

If the attack lasts no more than 15 minutes and no longer repeats, then the baby does not need special therapeutic measures.

It is very important to know that only a doctor can determine whether treatment of febrile seizures in children is necessary!

With prolonged seizures or often recurring, the doctor will give the baby an intravenous injection of a special drug. Often, children use one of the anticonvulsants:

• "Phenobarbital."
• Phenytoin.
• "Valproic acid."

Possible consequences

Only in the case of prolonged and frequent attacks, the baby will need treatment. The decision on the need for therapeutic measures can only be made by a doctor, a neuropathologist.

The negative consequences of febrile seizures in children develop extremely rarely if the necessary assistance has been provided in a timely manner. The statistics is as follows: only 2% of children who have undergone such attacks are later diagnosed with epilepsy.

Therefore, do not forget that the health of your babies is in your hands! No panic! Only calm and immediate reaction to the condition of the baby.