Febrile Seizures in Children: What to Do | Parenting Hub
Febrile seizures are terrifying to see but usually harmless. Here's exactly what to do during one and when to call 000.
Febrile seizures look terrifying but are usually harmless. They happen in about 1 in 30 children, often with the rapid rise of a fever. Here's exactly what to do.
What it looks like
- Stiffening of the body, jerking arms and legs
- Eyes roll back, may go blue around the lips
- Loss of consciousness for 1–3 minutes
- Sleepy and confused afterwards (post-ictal) for up to an hour
What to do during a seizure
- Stay calm — time it
- Place child on their side on the floor (recovery position)
- Move away anything they could hit
- Loosen tight clothing around the neck
- DO NOT put anything in their mouth, hold them still or give medicine during the seizure
- If it lasts longer than 5 minutes — call 000
After the seizure
Stay with them. Once alert, offer fluids. Treat the fever for comfort with paracetamol/ibuprofen. See a GP the same day, even if recovered.
Will it happen again?
About 1 in 3 children who have one febrile seizure will have another. They almost always grow out of them by age 5–6 and don't cause brain damage or epilepsy in most children.
When to seek help
- First-ever seizure — 000
- Seizure lasting >5 minutes — 000
- Repeated seizures in one illness
- Doesn't wake up properly afterwards
- Difficulty breathing, blue lips, neck stiffness, non-blanching rash — 000
Common questions
Can I prevent it with paracetamol?
No — studies show fever-reducers don't prevent febrile seizures. Treat fever for comfort, not to prevent fits.