Seeking Info on Febrile Seizures

I suggest you try a medical website for info. try medlineplus.com or nih.gov.

HI A.- I have quite a bit of info. on Febrile seizures. My daughter (now age 9.5) has had 10 in her life. Some occurred on the same day, one right after another. They do not always stop by age 3. My daughter's first one was 3 weeks before her 3rd birthday! The definition of a Febrile seizure includes the qualifier that they occur before the child turns 7. If they have a seizure after age 7, it is considered to be possibly the result of a seizure disorder. Even if they have a seizure the day of the 7th birthday, regardless of how often they had them before age 7.
My daughter did have one after age 7, and so we had to have an eeg, and see a neurologist to be sure that there wasn't any other neurological issues that could be causing the seizures. Her eeg showed about 2 sec. of unusual electrical activity. The doc. wasn't too alarmed about it, unless we see more seizures (which we haven't). He said it's very unusual, but not unheard of to continue to have them beyond age 7.He believes that my daughter is just "very sensitive to fevers". He was also seeing a boy who was experiencing them at age 8.
I have been told countless times, and read on websites, that the seizure activity caused by a Febrile seizure is not neurologically damaging. There is only a slight percentage of children who've had Febrile seizures who go on to have neurological problems later in life. Of course any family history of seizures would greatly alter that.
There's plenty of information on various websites, if you google it.
If you have concerns about your child, be sure to bring this up to her doctor. My daughter has had some past challenges in reading and math, which made me wonder if it was related to the seizures, but I was reassured that it wasn't. She now is reading at or above grade level. Math is still a challenge, but I'm sure she'll get beyond it.
I hope this information has helped, but don't hesitate to ask a specialist/doctor.

A.,
My son had a febrile seizure when he was 17 months old. We brought him to the ER, not knowing it's cause, and followed up with our pediatrician. Everyone we have talked to has said there they have not found a link between these seizures and neuro/ other problems later in life. You're right, very scary, but hopefully not harmful. Hope this helps.

When our son was about 2 1/2 he had his first febrile seizure, they said that it would end by the time he is 6. He was 5 when he had his last one, with MANY in between, they did an EEG on him and said that there was nothing wrong with him. At the time it did MAJOR damage to his thoughts, behavior, sleeping habits - everything - pretty intensly. He just recently turned 6, in December, but has not had one since October. I guess if they have a febrile seizure after they turn 6 is when they really worry. If he EVER has another, and we PRAY he doesn't, then I will get back in touch with you. Hope my story helped!
A. C.

My daughter, now 23 had "febrile seizures" from shortly before her 2nd birthday till she turned 4. After having a sleep test it showed "seizure tendencies" they medicated her and repeated the test annually till she was in 3rd grade at that point the decision was made to try her off medication. Her final test came back normal and I am happy to say that she is an RN and had no neuro or other problems. One thing I can tell you is that your daughter should always make her doctors aware that she did have "febrile seizures". My daughter was recently injured and because of her medical history they had to alter her PT since it involved the neck area and the treatment can cause seizures in people who have had seizures prior. Just something to keep in mind especially when changing doctors.

hi A.-- I am a mom of 4 boys. My oldest and youngest have had febrile seizures. My oldest will be 15 tomorrow and from what I understand is it is just breakdown of the nervous system when the fever spikes to rapidly. Meaning that the nervous system can't accomodate the fever fast enough. It has never caused any other issues for either one of my boys. the youngest is 7 but has not a had a seizure in 5 years.
They are horrifing. I thought my son was choking on something and called an ambulance. It was really terrifing.

Good luck to you.

I had febrile seizures when I was about 10 months old. I would actually stop breathing (turned grey once! dad did cpr and the whole bit, which didn't work until he shook me and screamed my name; I convulsed and 'woke up') and the doctors told my frantic parents that it was completely normal - kids stop breathing and technically die all the time, I guess, and it's nothing to worry about. Well, it turned out I had spinal meningitis, and that had been causing it. I'm completely fine now, though. Very high IQ, no health problems at all. It's very doubtful that your child has meningitis, but I think a full check-up wouldn't hurt and would help ease your mind. Either way, the seizures did no long-term damage.
Hope I didn't scare you about the breathing. If your child hasn't stopped breathing yet, these are surely 2 very different circumstances. When my daughter had her first fever, my mom reminded me how when I had fevers, I'd stop breathing. I didn't get a minute's sleep until her fever subsided; I was so petrified she'd stop breathing in the middle of the night!

I had febrile seizures when I was an infant. Later when I was about 10 years old I started having what they call Absence seizures. If I remember correctly the docs claimed that the two types of seizures had nothing to do with each other, but I've always questioned that. I was on Depakote for 4 years, then weaned off and haven't had any problems for quite some time. I think febrile seizures tend to be pretty benign though. WIsh I could be more helpful :)

Hello there,

my nephew had a few his first when he was almost 2. We were out to supper and he was sitting there then his face went blank and he went non responsive. It was very scarry. My sister freaked and we rushed him to the hospital. I believe he had a couple more after that one but only 2 i think. He is going to be 20 in march and is very healthy. Over weight maybe but i think that is the out to eat part not the siezure part.lol. Most times from what i hear the febrile seizures are just that and nothing else. Very scary but just common. I watched my kids closely for them when they got fevers but they never had them. He also has a brother who is now almost 4 (big age difference there) who has never had one. I would definately get her checked out to ease your mind and definately watch her when she has a seizure but i am sure she is fine. Good luck and best wishes. Kudos for looking up imfo...

Hi A., My son too had them. He had two by the age of 3. Then when he was 5, had one in school. When I brought him the his doctor, He informed us that they can still get them at age 5. Then had on at age 6 and 7, again I was told that kids can get them at those ages too. He had now grown out of them and is doing fine. He did see a specialist in Boston and he was fine. The doctor sis give us medicine to give him if he gets one again but we have never used them and we have since thrown them away. My daughter had one when she was just jover a year. She just turned four and never had one since. Just keep watching and checking their temperature especially in the winter months. If she gets a slight temp, I would give her some fever reducer medicine just to be onr the safe side. Don't worry, it is scarry at first, but she will grow out of them and nothing is wrong with it. It is just her body's way of coping with fevers. Good luck S. G

I think alot of febrile seizures are vaccine reactions - the vaccine causes brain inflammation, kid spikes a fever from the sudden immune system assualt, and then has a seizure. Doctors says seizures are a "normal" vaccine reaction. Just because they are common, doesn't mean they are normal. Something to think about =)