Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
By definition, febrile seizures occur when the child has a fever. Most
febrile seizures are generalized. In other words, the whole body may be
involved.
During a generalized seizure, any or all of the following may be seen:
Stiffening of the entire body
Jerking of the arms and legs
Complete lack of response to any stimuli
Eyes deviated, staring, rolling back, moving back and forth
Tightness of the jaws and mouth
Urinary incontinence (wet their pants)
Noisy breathing, labored, slower than normal (unusual for a child to
stop breathing completely)
Seizures occur because the brain becomes irritated and an "electrical storm"
occurs. This "electrical storm" occurs because the normal connections between
the cells in the brain do not function properly. This causes the brain to try to
shut down because of the electrical surge. The muscle shaking occurs because the
brain is ending out signals to every muscle group, asking them to contract. Most
seizures are self-limiting and are followed by a so-called postictal period, in
which the brain can be considered to "reboot and restart" all its programs,
similar to a computer when it is rebooted.
Seizures are a common event, and 4% of people will experience one in their
lifetime. The potential to have a seizure depends upon the threshold of the
brain to withstand excess electrical activity. In infants and children, high
fevers can cause this threshold to lower, resulting in febrile seizures. A blow
to the head can cause an electrical spike causing a seizure, and
sometimes
seizures just happen.
The patient needs evaluation to look for the reason for the seizure. Is there
an infection? Are there electrolyte abnormalities in the blood? Is there a
structural problem in the brain? Often there is no obvious reason why the first
seizure occurred, and CT or MRI scans of the brain as well as an EEG
(electroencephalogram) may be ordered to look for a cause.
Most people get a "freebie" seizure before requiring medication (medication
should not necessarily be prescribed for every person who has had one seizure),
but that doesn't mean that the event should be ignored. The chance of having
another seizure sometime in the future is approximately 20%, and that is the
reason why it is required that people need to be seizure free for 3-6 months
before being allowed to drive a vehicle (the required time varies between
states), scuba dive, sky dive, or participate in other potentially risky
situations in which a seizure could put the individual or others in danger.
Generalized seizures are frightening to witness. There is loss of
consciousness; the body stiffens, arches, and may shake; and grunting sounds may
be heard. But most seizures stop themselves and the role of the Good Samaritan,
bystander, friend, or family is to protect the individual from themselves.
Steps to take if you witness an individual having a seizure include:
The first step is to take a deep breath and try to stay calm.
Make certain that there is nothing nearby that can be struck by the
person having the seizure.
Don't hold the person down. A seizure is a violent and forceful event,
and bystander injury is a possibility.
Do not put anything in the victim's mouth. A person who is seizing can't
swallow their tongue and usually are breathing adequately. Forcing open the
jaw can break teeth or get fingers bitten.
If the individual's seizure lasts more than 3-5 minutes, call 911
immediately.
After the seizure stops, lay the person on their side and stay with them
until they are awake or until medical assistance arrives.
NIH on what are febrile seizures?
The following information has been provided with the kind permission of the NIH.
Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children.
How common are febrile seizures?
Approximately one in every 25 children will have at least one febrile seizure, and more than one-third of these children will have additional febrile seizures before they outgrow the tendency to have them. Febrile seizures usually occur in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years and are particularly common in toddlers. Children rarely develop their first febrile seizure before the age of 6 months or after 3 years of age. The older a child is when the first febrile seizure occurs, the less likely that child is to have more.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
Roseola is a viral illness that most commonly affects young children. Symptoms and signs include a sudden high fever that lasts for three to five days, swollen neck glands, runny nose, puffy eyelids, diarrhea, irritability, and a bulging soft spot on the head.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an abnormality of motor function and postural tone acquired at an early age (even before birth). Cerebral palsy is generally caused by brain trauma. Types of cerebral palsy include: spastic, choreoathetoid, and hypotonic. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, and treatment is generally managing the symptoms of the condition.
Encephalitis is a brain inflammation that causes sudden fever, vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, stiff neck and back, drowsiness, and irritability. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck.
Seizures are divided into two categories: generalized and partial. Generalized seizures are produced by electrical impulses from throughout the brain, while partial seizures are produced by electrical impulses in a small part of the brain. Seizure symptoms include unconsciousness, convulsions, and muscle rigidity.
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes
(called meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of encephalitis or meningitis should
see a doctor immediately.
What is encephalitis?
Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. There are many types of encephalitis, most of which are caused by infections. Most often these infections are caused by viruses. In addition to infections, encephalitis can also be caused by certain diseases that result in an inflammation of the brain.
What are encephalitis symptoms and signs?
The signs and symptoms of encephalitis can range from very mild symptoms to potentially life-threatening. Signs and symptoms of encephalitis include sudden fever, headache, vomiting,
visual sensitivity to light, stiff neck an...
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