التشنجات الحرارية

Definition

Febrile seizures occur with fever in children aged about 6 months to 5 years, without brain infection or prior epilepsy.

Types

• Simple: generalised, under 15 minutes, once in 24 hours (most common)
• Complex: focal, longer than 15 minutes, or repeated the same day

Assessment

• Find the fever source (ear, throat, urine)
• Exclude meningitis in young infants or with worrying signs

First aid

• Place the child on the side and clear hard objects
• Nothing in the mouth, no restraint
• Time it; call an ambulance if over 5 minutes

Treatment

• Antipyretics for comfort, though they do not necessarily prevent recurrence
• Rescue medication (buccal midazolam) for prolonged seizures per plan
• Daily antiepileptics are usually unnecessary in simple cases

Parent teaching

• Frightening but usually benign
• May recur with future fevers
• Low later epilepsy risk

Exam point

Simple febrile seizures do not damage the brain and do not mean the child has epilepsy.