Febrile seizures....

[LokiBear]

IABU because I am posting for traffic. Sorry.

Dd2 (second dd and also aged 2) had a 'full' febrile seizure about 9 months ago - her lips turned blue, eyes rolled back, stopped breathing, stiff limbs etc. Absolutely terrifying but ultimately normal. We were taken to hospital and given an information leaflet so we knew what to do next time. We were warned she might have another the next time she was really poorly, but it was unusual to have another seizure during this illness. I felt like I had been instructed really well by the doctors and had an understanding of what a febrile seizure looked like so I could recognise and deal with it. However, dd became really poorly again yesterday and now im not so sure. Yesterday dh took the day off with her and she fell asleep on the settee. Dh sat with her and noticed she had started juddering in her sleep (her arms and legs were twitching in a rhythmic pattern.) He tried to wake her, thinking she was dreaming, but couldn't. He phoned 111 who sent an ambulance, by the time they arrived it was over and dd was whimpering and sleepy, but concious. They observed her, her temperature came down over the course of 1.5 hours and they booked us into to see our GP (the GP had refused us an appointment but the paramedic insisted and got her in). Over the next few hours, dd was very fractious and very sleepy, drifting in and out of sleep. She also had a couple more 'judders' but, this time, she was conscious if not completely 'with it'. Dh said that her juddering was exactly what had happened when she was asleep, only it lasted longer and she was unconscious. When he said that, I realised when dd2 gets poorly and her temperature shoots up, her arms and legs will often twitch and judder, but she doesn't lose conciousness like she did with her first seizure. She isnt fully 'with it' but I always thought that was due to her being poorly. She will have several episodes of juddering when ill, throughout the illness, as oppose to one seizure per illness that is 'normal' according to my NHS leaflet. Im wondering now if the juddering is some form of seizure or something that I should be concerned about? The paramedic was amazing but couldn't answer the question and our GP didnt really answer when dh asked about the juddering. Does anyone know and should I be worried? Or is it just normal?

Is it a rigor?

Sorry no answer for your question really but hope someone can help, just wanted to say my DC1 had a febrile seizure at 2 years old and I was told at hospital it’s completely common for them to have a second one within 12 months. Not helpful but just wanted to tell you incase it helps x

Im not sure what a rigor is? Thanks both, because dd2 was so little when she had her first seizure, they said she'd be likely to have another. Its just these judders. I hadnt connected the dots before. Feel like a crap mum!

Not sure if it’s normal but last time my dd had a very high fever she had this juddering in her limbs and she went vacant. My 1st thought was a seizure so I rushed her to the gp but he said it was probably a rigor, she didn’t seem ill enough for it to have been a siezure. She’s not had it since. Hope she recovers soon.

I wonder if that is what it is then? Thanks!

I’d not heard of rigors either, I think it’s just shaking when you get a high temp?

It does sound like the juddering could be a seizure. In your shoes I would see a different GP and ask again.

Oh bless you, you're not a crap mum. I still remember how frightening it was to watch my little boy have a febrile convulsion when he was 12 months old - same as your daughter, stopped breathing, my husband had to CPR, very scary. He didn't just have one convulsion though, but two within two hours, the second thankfully in hospital as it went on for nearly 15mins. He's now 10 and thankfully, he never had another episode, despite having many high-temp illnesses. I spent five years on tenterhooks every time he was ill in case he had another one. It's worth getting her checked out but if she's got an illness with a temp is it just that she's shivery, her body's way of dealing with it? My understanding was that febrile convulsions occur at the sudden onset of a fever - ie, it's the rapid rise in body temp. Best thing is take her to GP to put your mind at rest.

Febrile convulsions/seizures are very frightening. Mostly because said people haven't heard of them Before up until that point. Ds1 has 2 and I was frightened.

The level of consciousness would be the difference for me. Ill child not quite ‘with it’ is expected and judders could just be rigors but judders with loss of consciousness sounds like a febrile convulsion to me.

It’s possible she’s had one febrile convulsion the time the ambulance was called and while still poorly has had rigors.

Child does not always have to have blue lips for “judders” to be a seizure.

In a child so small you may still be able to manipulate the limbs in a seizure. Teeth clenched that cannot be parted is a better indicator.

Overall, I wouldn’t worry to much. If she only has these ‘judders’ when she’s poorly it’s likely rigors, convulsion (so treat according to the information provided by your health service) and not epilepsy or anything more sinister. A second opinion would probably put your mind at rest though so I don’t see the harm in that. They’re our babies

*too much

Thanks, that is really helpful.

My ds had 11 febrile convulsions all together always lasting over 10 mins and the longest being 30 mins. He use to have 'mini' seizures as I called them and they're totally normal. It's the bodies way of trying to bring the temperature down constantly. Adult shake and feel cold when they have a high temp but our bodies can deal with it better as that part of our brain has developed where in some children it hasn't developed properly and that's why they have convulsions, follow the guidelines you've been given and you will be fine.

I also don't know if you have been told but convulsion happen when the temperature rises too quickly and is not based on how high the temperature is.

DS had similar, they're called myoclonic jerks and are a type of very brief seizure.

DS had occasional febrile convulsions up to the age of 9. He was investigated for epilepsy because they went on to an age far past when kids are supposed to grow out of this. They found a tendency towards epilepsy but thankfully he's had no more seizures since then (he's 24 now).