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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

febrile convulsions

16 replies

pookie81 · 29/01/2008 13:42

I was just wondering if anyone elses DD or DS has suffered a febrile convulsion. My DD had one the other night which was brought on by a slight throat infection...very frightening.

OP posts:

scorpio1 · 29/01/2008 13:43

my ds1 has had three. he last had one when he was 3, so over 2 years ago now.

yes its scary

suwoo · 29/01/2008 13:48

Yes mine aged 18 months, 2 hours after arriving at our holiday villa in Portugal. Very scary, especially as had to drive around looking for a hospital.

Baffy · 29/01/2008 13:51

my ds had one when he was 18 months

I wasn't with him at the time, he was with his dad, but it was brought on by a high temperature

they advised us that it is possible it may never happen again, but just to be extra careful when he has a temp

scary and horrible

I hope dd is ok?

LoveMyGirls · 29/01/2008 13:53

I had one when i was 18mths and my dd1 had one when she was about 3 very very scarey! Dd2 is 2 and a half and if i'm very honest I'm more scared almost waiting for her to have one, i'm very very careful with her temperature etc but I can't help worry.

Dd1 was lucky she was with my pil who are both first aid trained and mil actually gave her mouth to mouth.

PotPourri · 29/01/2008 14:09

Yes, DD1 had them. She seems to have grown out of them. It was maybe the most frightening thing I have ever seen.

Tips (Taht you might already know): you can use both paracetamol (4 times a day) and ibuprofen (3 times a day). Sponging down and stripping off clothes was the most effective way of keeping DDs temperature down - veyr labour intensive, but at times even the 2 drugs weren't touching it.
Get a fan and have that in the room so that there is air circuating (not pointing right on child as that is not well received, and I woudl worry about the ear getting a draught in it.
And finally, ice lollies - stock up your freezer with plain juice ones, these are a great way to get fluids up and temperature down - adn cheers up a sick child a bit too.

And get a proper ear thermometer, as they are really accurate.

Hopeyour little one grows out of it soon.

UnquietDad · 29/01/2008 14:12

Yes, DD had two as a toddler. Very frightening but not at all harmful. We called an ambulance both times. The first time it was the most terrifying thing we had ever seen - really thought she'd died. Second time she was given oxygen, which made it feel even worse for us.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 29/01/2008 14:14

I nannied for a little boy who had 4, his first one with me, and it was bloody terrifying. I think he has grown out them now he is 12.

nobodysfool · 29/01/2008 14:14

Sorry to hear about your dd.My ds has had three now but hasn't had one for nearly a year.Fingers crossed there will be no more.It has made me totall paranoid about him getting a temp as has the convulsions at around 40.1 by the way I was told never to mop down with cold water as it sends the body into shock so it holds on to the temp it has to try and keep warm.We were told by the hosp to use luke warm water instead.
They are the most scariest things ever and i totally feel for anybody's lo has had them.

NatalieJane · 29/01/2008 14:17

My DS2 had one when he was 15 weeks, don't think I have ever been so scared in my life. I honestly thought he was dying, sounds like an over-reaction, and I am not normally OTT, but I really did think he was dying.

He is now nearly 14 months and touch wood, a few high temps. down the line and he hasn't had another one. It is always in the back of my mind though as soon as he starts looking like he is coming down with something.

Potpourri has given all the advice we were given at the hospital. There isn't really much more than that, that you can do I'm afraid.

I hope your DD is feeling better by now?

LoveMyGirls · 29/01/2008 14:17

We brought one of those air coolers for dd's room, you put cold water and ice packs in the bottom and it cools the air.

I also agree about luke warm water as when i had my convulsion my auntie thought i was too hot so put me in a cool bath and that's when i had mine.

mynameis · 29/01/2008 14:18

DS2 had 3 last year & spent 3 days in hospital. He had a lumbar puncture & a brain scan as the two convulsions he had in hospital were without fever. Agree with unquietdad, it was terrifying. I was so petrified when speaking to ambulance control that they called in the police thinking that DS had died . Being grilled by the police in A&E certainly didn't help matters.

Original poster

pookie81 · 29/01/2008 14:47

Yep, she is almost back to her good self. It was brought on by a very high temperature and a slight throat infection. She is 18 mnths old. Thanks everyone for your replies-they are all so reassuring and interesting!

OP posts:

michtenstein · 30/01/2008 17:23

just wanted to say as well that I have been told (by my south african peadiatrician) that we should always have suppositories -paracetamol or ibuprofen - so that when a temp gets high we can pop one in and the result is very quick, its what they used in the hospital with my dd when she was there after a horrid episode.

They cost a bomb, but are worth the peace of mind and saving of a horrible experience for everyone. They do need to be prescribed though.

Apparently once they have one they are more prone to have more when they have a temp then kids who have never had one.

Christywhisty · 30/01/2008 19:56

My DS has had about 20 the last one when he was 10 which is rare, my DD has had 4 the last one when she was about 4.

I had to beg the paediatrician for suppositories as my dd was awful at taking medicine when she was ill. They really are expensive.
We also had rectal diazipam just incase they went over 5 minutes but we never had to use them.

I have put this before on mumsnet so i hope people aren't bored with it, but there is a brilliant quote from Toddler Taming.

"The short fever fit does not damage the child only it's mother's nerves"

My sister also had them until she was about 10 but I never had them. Our family history is unusual and a lot of gp's haven't heard of FC's past 5

nappyaddict · 09/02/2008 00:50

my cousin's ds had one at only 38 degrees!! his twin brother routinely gets temperatures over 42 degrees without a problem!!

Weegle · 09/02/2008 11:14

my DS (now 20 months) has had several now. The first time I honest to God thought he had died, it was truly horrible. Before he actually starts coming round and fitting a bit he goes deathly grey, completely limp and his eyes roll back. All have been temperature induced. We now have paracetamol suppositories in the house for when calpol/calprofen being alternated doesn't work - this happened most recently with an ear infection. Luke warm bath has been recommended although I've found DS fights this and screams making himself hotter. The best solution I found by accident was taking him outside in a light drizzle wrapped in a sheet (was december!) - I was dashing him to doctors as his temp was 41.5 and not lowering and by the time I got 5 min round the corner to the docs his temp was much safer at 39! Obviously not recommended though! My DH has them as a child also and they do apparently run in families.

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