5 complications of febrile seizures in children

Fever is a symptom of the body’s reaction to fight against bacteria and viruses that cause disease. Basically, this is a beneficial sign. Dr. Lam Boi Hy, Department of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that about 2-5% of children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years old are likely to have febrile seizures because their brains are not fully developed. Children are sensitive to changes in body temperature, which stimulates the brain, leading to this condition.

When the fever is high, around 39-40 degrees Celsius, the body temperature suddenly increases, the child may lose consciousness, stiffen, vomit, foam at the mouth, roll eyes, and have convulsions in the limbs. The condition usually lasts for a few minutes and can go away on its own.

Febrile seizures can be benign or caused by infections, metabolic diseases or genetics. However, if they recur repeatedly, they can seriously affect a child’s health and lead to dangerous complications.

Brain damage

The cause of febrile seizures in children is the sudden excessive discharge of some neurons. If this condition occurs repeatedly, it will damage brain cells, affecting the child’s memory, emotions, behavior or language.

Epileptic

Children with febrile convulsions are susceptible to epilepsy, especially in children under 12 months of age. The convulsions are localized, lasting more than 5 minutes, and may be accompanied by post-convulsive cognitive disorders, occurring multiple times within 24 hours. Children with congenital brain abnormalities or febrile convulsions under 12 months of age, and parents with a history of epilepsy, are at high risk of this condition.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Children with a history of febrile seizures are at higher risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than healthy children. Children cannot concentrate, have difficulty controlling their behavior, and often act excited and over-stimulated, affecting their quality of life.

Tic disorder syndrome

Febrile seizures and tic syndrome are common neurological disorders in young children with clinical similarities. Children with tic syndrome have disordered movements or involuntary, repetitive vocalizations. Common manifestations include stuttering, mumbling or screaming. Children also have actions such as shaking their heads, jumping continuously and may have shortness of breath and jerking of jaw muscles.

Psychological effects

When sick, children are often worried and scared, leading to shyness and low self-esteem, gradually affecting their psychology. Sudden seizures can cause children to fall and cause brain injuries. Complications of high fever and seizures directly affect physical health and quality of life. Doctor Boi Hy recommends that parents need to know how to reduce fever, give first aid, and care for their children to recover quickly and prevent risks.

Children with a fever of 38.5 degrees Celsius or higher need to take fever-reducing medicine, lie on a blanket or soft surface, lie on their side or back in a cool place. Children should not wear too thick clothes, can wipe their body with a warm towel. Absolutely do not wipe with ice water or lemon juice. When children have a seizure, parents should not hold them down or put anything in their mouth because it can cause choking or suffocation.

Parents should consult a doctor before giving their children any medication. Usually, paracetamol is prescribed at a dose of 10-15mg/kg/time (oral or rectal), repeated after 4-6 hours if the child’s fever has not subsided.

If the child has a high fever that lasts for a long time and the body temperature increases after the medicine is finished, parents need to take the child to a medical facility for timely treatment to avoid dangerous complications.