Nursery World - Don't panic (1)

The best way to help a child having a febrile convulsion is explained by doctors at <B>Great Ormond Street Hospital</B>

What is a febrile convulsion?

A febrile convulsion, or fit, is a common medical condition in young children and in most cases is triggered off by a rapidly rising temperature or fever (to over 38*C). It affects up to one in 20 children between the ages of one and four.

The good news is that for the vast majority of children with simple febrile convulsions, the outcome is excellent, with no evidence of brain damage.

Although febrile convulsions appear like epileptic fits, they rarely have anything in common with epilepsy. The risk of developing epilepsy in the future is no higher than for children who have never had a febrile convulsion.

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