What is a febrile seizure?

A febrile seizure is a convulsion that happens when your child's body temperature increases.

A seizure causes your child's body to move uncontrollably due to an interruption in their brain activity. They are common and usually happen when your child has a fever.

A febrile seizure happens to 1 in 30 children who have a fever. They're most likely to happen between the ages of 6 months and 6 years old.

As your child gets older, they are less likely to have a febrile seizure.

Febrile seizures can be upsetting to watch, but they do not hurt your child. Most seizures last from a few seconds to 15 minutes.

What are the symptoms of a febrile seizure?

During a febrile seizure, your child may:

• lose consciousness
• have jerky or stiff muscles
• become floppy
• go red or blue in the face or lips
• roll their eyes back in their head

A typical febrile convulsion lasts for a few minutes, although sometimes they can last longer.

If your child has a seizure for more than 5 minutes, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

Your child will regain consciousness after their convulsions stop. It can take up to 30 minutes for them to wake up properly.

Your child may feel sleepy or grumpy for a few hours afterwards, but this will go away with rest.

What should I do when my child has a febrile seizure?

During the seizure you should:

• stay with your child during the seizure
• put your child on their side (in the recovery position) on a soft surface
• not stop your child from moving
• remove anything from their mouth
• remain calm and not panic
• watch what happens so you can tell a doctor later
• time how long the seizure lasts

There isn't anything you can do at home to stop the seizure. Do not put your child in the bath when they are having a seizure.

If your child has a seizure while they are in a wheelchair, car seat or stroller, you should:

• leave them in the seat if they are safe and secured
• gently hold their head while they are having the seizure
• if they are unconscious after the seizure stops, take them out of the seat and lie them on their side

What causes a febrile seizure?

The cause of febrile seizure is not known.

Your child may have a febrile seizure due to a fever (a temperature over 38°C).

Children's brains are more sensitive to fevers and changes in temperature than adults. Viral illnesses may cause a fever.

Febrile seizures can also run in families. If you had febrile seizures as a child, your child is more likely to have them.

If your child has a neuromuscular disorder like cerebral palsy, they may have a higher chance of having a febrile seizure.

When should I see my doctor?

If your child has a febrile seizure for less than 5 minutes, book an appointment to speak to your doctor as soon as you can.

When to seek urgent care

If your child has a seizure that lasted less than 5 minutes but they were very sick before the seizure, take them to the hospital right away.

You can drive your child to the hospital if another adult is in the car to care for them while you drive.

If you don't have another adult with you, it's better to call an ambulance.

Call an ambulance if:

• this is your child's first seizure
• the febrile convulsion lasts longer than 5 minutes
• your child stays unconscious when the seizure is over
• your child is very sick after the seizure
• your child is having trouble breathing
• your child has vomited (been sick) or inhaled food during the seizure
• the seizure happened in water

How is a febrile seizure diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about your child's health and what happened during the seizure.

They will do a physical examination and may use a thermometer to check your child's temperature.

If the seizure lasted more than 5 minutes or your doctor isn't sure of the fever's cause, further tests may be needed.

These tests can be a:

• blood test
• urine (pee) test
• swab of your child's nose and throat

How is a febrile seizure treated?

There is often no treatment required as most febrile seizures are related to a viral infection. Usually, treatment involves managing the cause of the febrile seizure.

The hospital may give your child medicine if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.

Most children can go home after being seen by a doctor.

Sometimes your child may need to stay overnight at the hospital. This lets the doctors check how they are recovering from the febrile seizure.

Care at home

After a doctor has seen your child, you can care for them at home.

If your child still has a fever and it's making them uncomfortable, you:

• can give them paracetamol or ibuprofen
• should make sure your child is drinking enough water
• should avoid putting too many layers of clothes on your child
• should not give them cold baths as this can cool your child too fast

You can go back to your normal routine and put your child to sleep in their own bed.

Most children will only have one febrile seizure.

Some children can have more than one febrile seizure; this is usually when they are sick with a fever.

There is no way of predicting which child will have a febrile seizure. However, your child may have a higher chance of having a febrile seizure if:

• they have had a previous seizure
• there is a history of febrile seizures in your family

What are the complications of a febrile seizure?

Complications are rare. Your child won't have brain damage or be more likely to get epilepsy if they have a febrile seizure.

Your child may have a higher chance of developing epilepsy if they have:

• a seizure that lasts more than 15 minutes
• lots of seizures in 24 hours
• a seizure with focal features

However, even then your child's chance of developing epilepsy is low.

Can a febrile seizure be prevented?

There is no way of preventing a febrile seizure. Often, they are the first sign that your child is sick.

It's important to remember that paracetamol or ibuprofen will not prevent a febrile seizure.

Resources and support

The Sydney Children's Hospital Network has more information about how to help your child when they are having a seizure.

St John's Ambulance has information about febrile convulsions available in languages other than English.

For advice in English and other languages on how to treat your child's fever, visit The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network website.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.