Febrile Seizure: How to Care for Your Child

Febrile seizures are uncontrolled full-body movements or convulsions that happen during a fever (febrile means feverish). They usually stop on their own without treatment and don't cause brain damage or any other permanent problems. Febrile (FEH-bryle) seizures can be frightening to see, but they're usually not a sign of serious illness.

• Give any medicines prescribed by your child's health care provider. 

• Let your child rest if he or she feels sleepy. 

• Encourage your child to drink fluids. 

• If your child is uncomfortable from a fever, don't give aspirin. If the health care provider says it's OK, give one of these medicines exactly as directed:

  • acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand)

  • OR

  • ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand). Don't give to babies under 6 months old. 

• Set up a follow-up visit with your health care provider as directed. 

If your child has another seizure:

• Gently lower your child to the floor on his or her side to prevent choking. 

• Move objects out of the way so your child isn't injured. 

• Keep track of the time and make note of your child's color and breathing. 

• Don't try to hold or restrain your child.

• Don't put anything in your child's mouth. 

• Don't try to give your child fever-reducing medicine until the seizure is over and your child is fully awake.

• Don't try to lower a fever by putting your child in water.

Call 911 if your child's seizure lasts 5 minutes or longer, or if your child becomes blue in the face or has trouble breathing.

Your child:

• has another seizure that lasts less than 5 minutes

• refuses to drink

• still has a fever after 2 or 3 days

• develops a new symptom or specific problem, such as vomiting or diarrhea, cough or congestion, a rash, foul-smelling pee or pain when peeing (urinating), or if you think your child has belly, ear, or throat pain

Your child:

• has another seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes

• is very fussy or cranky

• is hard to wake up

• has frequent vomiting

• has a severe headache 

• has neck pain or stiffness

• develops bruising or tiny red dots on the skin that look like broken blood vessels

• looks dehydrated; signs include dizziness, drowsiness, a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with few or no tears, or peeing less often (or having fewer wet diapers)

Call 911 if your child has a seizure that lasts 5 minutes or longer, or if your child becomes blue in the face or has trouble breathing.

Are tests needed to diagnose a febrile seizure? Most of the time, no special tests are needed. Health care providers can diagnose a febrile seizure if it is brief, happens to a child 6 months to 5 years old during a fever, and the child recovers quickly. If any testing is needed, it would focus on finding the reason for the fever.

Why do kids get febrile seizures? No one knows why febrile seizures happen, although experts think they're linked to some viruses and the way that some children's developing brains react to high fevers.

Will my child have another febrile seizure? Sometimes kids who have had one febrile seizure will have another (usually within 1 to 2 years). Kids who are younger than 15 months old at the time of their first febrile seizure are more likely to have another one. Most kids outgrow having febrile seizures by the time they're 5 years old. Having a febrile seizure doesn't mean a child has a seizure disorder (epilepsy). Having had a febrile seizure only slightly increases a child's chances of developing a seizure disorder.

Can I stop my child from having another febrile seizure? It's not possible to prevent a febrile seizure by giving fever-reducing medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. These medicines can help to keep children comfortable. But parents shouldn't worry that a seizure will happen if they don't give their child medicine.