Febrile Seizures

Give me the good, the bad and the ugly!


DS is 23 months. Had a fever tonight of 100.7 so I gave him Motrin. About 30 minutes later he had his first febrile seizure. His temperature had only gone up to around 101.8 but apparently they said it is enough of a spike to cause a seizure. His seizure lasted about 7 minutes.

(Let's not even discuss the years I lost off my life tonight. I have been shaking for at least the past 10 hours.)

They did a cat-scan in the ER and everything came back normal and they basically said it was his fever that caused it. After 8 hours in the ER we were sent home.

I feel like my baby is so broken now! I know I will be forever taking his temperature. I honestly don't think I can go through another episode like tonight.

What are the chances of this reoccurring? Please, experienced Moms, talk me off this ledge!

Message edited 7/11/2012 4:23:28 AM.

Re: Febrile Seizures

Oh my goodness, thats so scary! I have no advice but wanted to send you some support. I hope you are both feeling better today!

Re: Febrile Seizures

I am so sorry that happened to you and so glad that he is OK.

I had a febrile seizure ONCE when I was almost 2 years old. IT NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN. I run high fevers, even as an adult I have gone over 105! And it never ever happened again.

That being said, my mother has never recovered. I am 29 years old and if I have a fever, no matter how low. . .she is constantly making me check it and freaking out about it. And now that she watched my DD? I have to stay home from work even if she just has a 99* fever.

So I KNOW how scary it must have been, and I hope for you it was a one time event like it was for my family!

Re: Febrile Seizures

DD had a febrile seizure once - we were already in ER and her fever had spiked up to almost 104.

I can totally sympathize with you. It was one of the scariest things I have ever gone through. Doctors all assured me that it was due to the spike in temperature from her fever. She hasn't had one since then and DD usually runs high fevers, so 103 is normal for her when she does get one.

If everything came back normal, your son should be fine. If it happens again, then they will run more tests.

It's normal to want to take their temp all the time (I did this for months and still do sometimes and she had the seizure a year ago) and it makes you feel better, by all means go ahead and do that.

Re: Febrile Seizures

my son had his first one 2 weeks after his 1st birthday. within 11 months he had 5 - one lasting about 20 min and needed a valium injection in the ambulance to get out of it.

they are scary. unfortunately there is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent them - ds was always on motrin when i felt him start getting warm but the fever spikes up so quickly he would still seize.

after his 20 min episode we were given rectal diazepam to bring him out of the seizure. the er drs said if he started seizing again and didn't come out of it in 5 minutes to administer it.
his last febrile seizure was on hurricane irene (almost a year!!) and he seized in the tub while i was trying to cool him down.
it took my sister a total of 30 seconds to run and get my bag with the diazepam and another 20 seconds to administer it. he came out of it within that 20 seconds.

i wasn't waiting 5 minutes!

ask your ped to give you a script for diazepam just in case. i know most won't give it right away - ds had 4 febrile seizures before they gave us that and the only reason they gave it to us was bc he was in stat ep.

they are harmless and won't affect them. they usually outgrow them by the latest by 4-5 (thats what his neurologist said) but his ped said the norm is 2-3 they grow out of it.

also its usually the 1st onset of fever they get the seizure - so if they are sick for 3 days - its usually the first day not the 2nd or 3rd.

many hugs for you i know its terrible to see.

my son who is almost 3 still sleeps with us bc (i can't get him out of my bed LOL) after his first seizure i was scared of his temp and in case he had another seizure alone. but there are usually signs - they get very clingy and whiney right before the seizure.

just remember they DO grow out of it and it is not harmful to them!

eta: i bumped up an old post of mine for ibu suppositories that work great to bring down fevers faster than oral medication

Message edited 7/11/2012 8:58:01 AM.