What are fever seizures?

Fever seizures (febrile seizures) are uncontrolled muscle spasms and unresponsiveness in a child, caused by a rapid increase in body temperature. They usually last one to three minutes and are seldom serious. Fevers that lead to a fever seizure may develop so quickly that parents do not realize that their child's temperature is rising. After a fever has reached a high temperature, the risk of a seizure is probably over. Fever seizures are not a form of epilepsy.

A seizure is likely to be fever-related if:

• There is one seizure in a 24-hour period.
• The seizure lasted less than 15 minutes.
• The seizure affected the entire body, not just one side of the body.
• The child is age 6 months to 5 years.
• The child does not have nervous system (neurological) problems.
• The child has had fever seizures before.

Fever seizures, or "fever fits," are caused by extremely high fevers. Although anyone can have a seizure, seizures are most common in children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years. Fewer than one-half of all children who experience a seizure will experience a second seizure.

Most seizures last only a few seconds to a few minutes and are basically harmless for the child. Seizures lasting longer (more than 30 minutes), however, can be dangerous.

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