Fever seizures (febrile seizures) are uncontrolled muscle spasms
and unresponsiveness in a child that are caused by a rapid increase in body
temperature. They usually last 1 to 3 minutes and are seldom serious.
Fevers that lead to a fever seizure may develop so quickly that
parents did not even realize that their child's temperature was rising. Once a
fever has reached a high temperature, the risk of a seizure is probably over.
Fever seizures are not a form of epilepsy. A seizure is likely to
be fever-related if it meets the following criteria:
- The seizure happened within 24 hours of the
start of a fever.
- The seizure lasted less than 3 to 5
minutes.
- The seizure affected the entire body, not just one side of
the body.
- The child is between 6 months and 6 years
old.
- The child does not have nervous system (neurological)
problems.
- The child has had fever seizures before.
