Febrile Seizures (cont.)
What makes a child prone to recurrent febrile seizures?
A few factors appear to boost a child's risk of having recurrent febrile
seizures, including young age (less than 15 months) during the first seizure,
frequent fevers, and having immediate family members with a history of febrile
seizures. If the seizure occurs soon after a fever has begun or when the
temperature is relatively low, the risk of recurrence is higher. A long initial
febrile seizure does not substantially boost the risk of recurrent febrile
seizures, either brief or long.
Are febrile seizures harmful?
Although they can be frightening to parents, the vast
majority of febrile seizures are harmless. During a seizure, there is a small
chance that the child may be injured by falling or may choke from food or saliva
in the mouth. Using proper first aid for seizures can help avoid these hazards (see section entitled
"What should be done for a child having a febrile seizure?").
There is no evidence that febrile seizures cause brain
damage. Large studies
have found that children with febrile seizures have normal school achievement
and perform as well on intellectual tests as their siblings who don't have
seizures. Even in the rare instances of very prolonged seizures (more than 1
hour), most children recover completely.
Between 95 and 98 percent of children who have
experienced febrile seizures do not go on to develop epilepsy. However, although
the absolute risk remains very small, certain children who have febrile seizures
face an increased risk of developing epilepsy. These children include those who
have febrile seizures that are lengthy, that affect only part of the body, or
that recur within 24 hours,
and children with cerebral palsy, delayed development, or other neurological
abnormalities. Among children who don't have any of these risk factors, only one
in 100 develops epilepsy after a febrile seizure.
Next: What should be done for a child having a febrile seizure? »
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