Help, what are 'rigour' fits?

[Lynne33]

Hi there, I have a problem and knowing how helpful and knowledgable (sp?) all you posters are I was wondering if you could help?

My dd had a very high temperature (105) a few months back and had what I thought was a febrile convultion. My husband went with her in the ambulance and I stayed home with ds (it was 1'o'clock in the morning!!)

When dh and dd came home, dh said the hospital thought it was more likely that she had a 'rigour' fit, when I asked what that was he said he didn't really understand what they meant!!

I would like to know just what they are and what I should do if it happens again. Does anyone have any experience of this or know what they are? Thanks.

Can't find a specific reference to rigor fits on google Lynne, but being epileptic myself, it sounds like an old fashioned way of saying they thought she'd had a seizure. Rigor means stiffening. Obviously one episode doesn't make your daughter an epileptic, but I would either contact the hospital that treated her, or visit your gp to ask them to explain it to you. Good luck.

Lou33,ks, thanks so much for your helpful replies, I am really grateful. You are probably right ks, because the hospital did check her urine and she was put on anti-biotics. And lou33, I think I will have a chat with my GP to see if he thinks there is a likelihood of it happening again.

Lynne33, I had rigors when I had a kidney infection. They are quite terrifying - you have an extremely high tempreture, yet feel as though you have been dropped at the North Pole. I have never experienced the feeling of being quite so cold (had a temp. of 104 though!). My whole body went stiff and I shook uncontrollably for nearly 20 minutes in one attack. The good news is that I am fairly sure you could only have rigors with an infection of this kind (- not the same as epilepsy), so while it is terrifying they can be stoppped forever, once the infection has been cleared with anti-biotics. In the throws of an infection like this the best things to do are to try and avoid sudden tempreture change (even somthing like touching a bowl filled with ice-cream) and to stop them, despite it being the most terrifying option for the sufferer, all clothes should be removed and the person should be put in a stone cold shower (this is what they told me in hospital). Glad your daughter is better. It must have been really scary for you.

Ellaroo, many thanks for your message. Yes, it was one of the most horrific experiences of my life. My dd was screaming as if she was in agony (this is why the hospital didn't think it was a febrile convultion), and her body was juddering violently in my arms. The emergency operator told me to strip her off, open all the windows and try and get her to drink something cold. The worst part though was that I wasn't allowed to cuddle her because my body heat would make her temperature worse, and she was crying for me and holding her arms out to be held. It was awful.

Now I think back, I am sure my dh did say the hospital said something about feeling cold even though she had a temperature. So, I am pretty convinced now this is what she had.

dd had rigors earlier this year following a chest infection she had temperature of 39.8 she was blue and shakeing uncontrolably although didnt lose conciousness or fit. Its your bodys way of cooling you down as you get goose pimples the hair on your body stands up trapping cool air after being given neurofen and calpol a fan and a tepid bath her temp came down and shivering stopped.

Just felt I had to post and say thank you everyone for your help and kind words. You have really helped and it's nice to know people care. Thanks again, and I am going now before I get too slushy!!!

I had these myself and they are terrifying. They are more common in babies and young children but in severe cases of high grade fever adults can get them. After the birth (via emergency c section) of my son I developed maternal sepsis. Sepsis is where you have an infection and the body has an extreme and dangerous reaction to that infection. It's like your bodys internal thermostat is reset to a higher temperature. So instead of aiming for 37 degrees (normal body temp) your body attempts to get your temperature up to 39 or 40 degrees. Your body thinks (mistakenly) that you are way too cold, so your brain sends you messages that you are freezing cold, your teeth chatter, you shake uncontrollably, you can't breathe. All of this violent shaking uses a lot of energy and generates a lot of heat (imagine how much warmer you'd get if you tried to run as fast as you could for 20 minutes, it's a similar thing). It's the bodys way of suddenly and dramatically increasing your body temperature. It was one of the scariest things I've ever gone through. The closest I can come to describing it is that it feels like your whole body has been plunged into ice cold water. You hyperventilate, breath coming in fast shaky gasps, all your limbs convulse uncontrollably, your teeth chatter. I was crying, begging and pleading them to let me have more blankets, I've never felt that cold before. During the first 48 hours of my treatment it happened 4 times. Lasted 20-30 minutes each time. It must have been awful watching your little one go through that. And of course opening windows and stripping her off was exactly the right thing to do, just as the medical team denying me blankets was right. But at that point I would have given anything to feel warm. I'm sure you would have given anything to help your little one feel warm. I'm so sorry she had to go through it.