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Febrile seizure (children) is a brief, generalized, symmetric convulsion that occurs in association with fever, but without any CNS infection or neurologic cause.

Causes and Risks

A febrile seizure is a generalized tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure that occurs in some children as a response to a fever. Febrile seizures are usually associated with rapidly rising fevers, and usually occur early in the fever rather than later.

The seizure may last a few seconds up to a few minutes (although short seizures are more typical). It most commonly occurs in children between the ages of 6 months to 6 years of age. Approximately 2-5% of children will have a seizure associated with fevers. However, the exact cause of febrile seizures is unknown.

There is a tendency for febrile seizures to run in families. This may suggest that there are genetic factors involved. Occasionally, seizures associated with fever may be a symptom of other diseases such as poisoning, meningitis or encephalitis.

Roseola, or infection with Human herpesvirus-6, is also a frequent cause of febrile convulsions in children. Dysentary caused by Shigella is frequently associated with a high fever and febrile seizures in children. A child who has a febrile seizure may not have further seizures in response to a fever.

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