Febrile Seizures
Alternate Names : Seizure - Fever Induced
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Diagnosis & Tests
A febrile seizure may be diagnosed by the health care provider when a grand mal seizure occurs in a child with a fever and no prior history of seizure disorders (epilepsy). In infants and young children, it is important to rule out other causes for a first-time seizure, especially meningitis.
In a typical febrile seizure, the examination usually shows no abnormalities other than the illness causing the fever. Typically, a full seizure workup including an EEG, head CT, and lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is not warranted.
However, the child's condition must meet strict medical criteria if these tests are to be avoided:
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The child must be developmentally normal
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The seizure must be generalized (not focal), meaning more than one part of the body is involved.
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The seizure may not last longer than 15 minutes.
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The child cannot have had more than one febrile seizure in 24 hours.
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The child's neurologic exam performed by a physician must be normal to be called a simple febrile seizure.
If all of these criteria are met, no further studies are likely to be required.
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