Febrile Convulsions - Advice needed

[hockeymum]

My DD, nearly 15 months, had a febrile convulsion last weekend while suffering a 2 week long stomach virus.

Has anyone else's child suffered and can anyone offer some advice on what to do if it happens again or how to prevent it.

This is the NHS direct web page

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en.asp?TopicID=197

Try not to worry 3 out of 100 children will have a febrile convulsion before the age of 6. Happened to my btother, and he never had another. Keeping the temp down is the key, paracetamol and ibuprofen help. But the NHS direct link gives you all the info

HTH

my dh had these afew times when little....was 30 years ago.....i am paranoid that it will happen to ds. The literature says that it does not affect their long term development and is not linked to developing epliepsy or any other fitting
advice.....try to keep temperature right down...strip dd off - give calpol and nurofen...read the packet - but you can give full dose of both.....and if worried about temp then get advie - nhs or emergency doc
someone with more experience of this may be more help than me!

hockeymum - my daughter had one when she was about 18 months (I think). Scared the life out of me and I took her to the dr's co-operative thing who saw her straightaway. She's never had one since (she's now 6) and it is not significant in itself. Just keep her cool, give her calpol to get the temp down and reassure her because she'll be frightened. Think they grow out of them at about 2. Good luck

Hockeymum, I feel for you. Dd1 had a febrile convulsion at 13 months, stopped breathing for several minutes and we had to resuscitate her while waiting for the ambulance. Most terrifying few minutes of my life. She had another one earlier this year at 35 months, but less serious (started breathing almost immediately). Each time she had over 40 degrees temperature. We've been told they might happen until she is 6 (at first the doctors said 3, but they have revised their estimate). There is apparently no connection with epilepsy, and no adverse effects later. DD also does not seem to remember the fit, so we have not had to cope with her being afraid (just our own fears).
The main advice we have had echoes that of popsycal - do all you can to get the temperature down (including cool baths, undressing etc), and make sure you have stock of paracetamol and ibuprofen to hand and don't run out on a Sunday like we did last week!

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My sister's DS had several febrile convulsions up to when he was about 2 years old - one was after she had boarded a plane, and the flight was delayed while the ambulance zoomed across the runway to take them to hospital. In each case he had a temperature, usually due to an ear infection, and it was just his body's way of bringing down the temperature fast. Neither of her two daughters have had them. As already mentioned, usual advice for monitoring and reducing a temperature. By the way, you can use both calpol and nurofen at the same time if needed - they work in different ways.