Fieber cramp in children: what triggers him and what you should do

Babies and toddlers are particularly at risk of suffering a febrile seizure. We'll tell you what you should do in such a moment.

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It was on a cold January day 2013 and my then 2.5-year-old son, weakened by a nasty gastrointestinal virus and fever, had just fell asleep on my lap. And suddenly he was there, the moment that I have always been afraid of since the birth of my child. A moment of complete helplessness. The little person on my legs was stiff that afternoon. He stared into the void and was no longer accessible. I just called to my friend: "Call the emergency doctor!"

What we did not know at this point was that our son had a febrile spasm, as the emergency doctor told us, probably a 'simple'. He had exactly the age in which children could suffer such a seizure and usually that would remain without consequences.

In fact, in the days and weeks after this terrible experience, we heard of many friends, acquaintances and relatives that their children already had one or even more febrile cramps.

So that you are prepared for the (hopefully never entering) case that your child will suffer a febrile seizure, here the most important facts about the origin and how you ideally behave.

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The cause of a febrile spasm?

The trigger for a febrile seizure is often an infection that rapidates the body temperature in the child rapidly above 38 degrees Celsius, that is, the child gets a high fever very quickly. In a certain development phase, the brain can only react with a seizure.

Children between the ages of six months and six years are particularly 'endangered' for the appearance of a febrile seizure. Boys are more often affected by febrile cramps than girls.

How does a febrile seizure come about?

It can happen that you only notice that the child has a fever when it starts to cramp. Because, as already mentioned, the fever can literally shoot the fever at this age and let the brain react to it with a seizure.

Signs of a fever fight include:

  • Sudden twisting of the eyes or a rigid view of the emptiness
  • slightly bluish lips
  • The child does not react to stimuli, is not accessible
  • The body is stiffened or begins to cramp (arms, legs, facial muscles begin to twitch)

How long does a febrile seizure last?

With a simple fever cramp, which occurs much more often, the attack takes up to five minutes. Many children are sleepy afterwards or react very slowly.

If a febrile seizure lasts for more than five minutes or even has to be ended with medication, doctors speak of a complicated febrile seizure.

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How do you react correctly to a febrile seizure?

The doctor in the hospital then told me that it was right to call the emergency doctor. "Better too much than too little," were pretty much her exact words. And this is exactly how this tip can also be found in various other advice. Especially when it comes to the first febrile seizure, a doctor*should always be called immediately.

In addition, parents should do the following if their child has a febrile seizure:

  • The child should be stored safely and softly to avoid injuries.
  • The clothing should be relaxed to make enough space to breathe.
  • Parents should not try to prevent the cramps.
  • The child should not be held or shaken up.
  • You shouldn't try to reach into your mouth to capture your tongue. Rarely children rarely bite on their tongue in a febrile seizure. In addition, these wounds heal quickly and are not bad.

What should be done after the seizure?

Once the cramp has come loose before a rescue power has arrived, parents should not let their child out of their eyes and pay particular attention to breathing. If this is normal, but the child is still stunned and sleepy after the febrile seizure, you should put it in the stable side position as a precaution. In this situation, noise and bright light should be avoided.

If the child is passed out after the attack and do not breathe normally, first aid measures should be taken immediately, and that long until the emergency doctor has arrived. This includes ventilation and heart pressure massage. The heart pressure massage should follow around 30 times on five ventilations.

Following a febrile seizure

In most cases, it is a light febrile seizure that has no consequences. Nevertheless, the cause of the rapidly increased fever should be determined. Very often there are slight infections behind it. However, more severe infections can also be considered a trigger, such as: B. pulmonary inflammation or meningitis.

There are children who tend to go to febrile cramps. Therefore, after the first occurrence of a seizure of a seizure, an emergency medication prescribes, which parents can administer independently, he should repeat himself. Under certain circumstances, the treating pediatrician is recommended to an EEG examination (brain stream measurement) after a second febrile seizure.

Can you prevent a febrile seizure?

In two thirds of the affected children, a febrile seizure occurs once. Unfortunately, it cannot be prevented if he has never appeared until then. In children who are increasingly rapidly rising to rapidly rapid fever and the associated febrile cramps, early fever reduction from 38.5 degrees Celsius can minimize the risk of seizures, if not prevented.

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Good to know: In the medical sense, a simple febrile seizure is considered harmless. Although parents perceive him as very threatening.

Important note: The content of this article only serves the information and does not replace a diagnosis at the doctor. If uncertainties, urgent questions or complaints arise, you should contact your doctor. Medical on -call duty can be reached via nationwide number 116117.

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