Child care: How to deal with convulsions

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Children with convulsions might turn rigid, jerk around and lose consciousness. The eyes might roll back in the head. A doctor should be consulted if a child experiences a convulsion. If an episode lasts longer than 5 minutes, call for emergency assistance.

What are the causes of convulsions?

Convulsions transpire due to the sudden, erratic electrical activity within the brain. This is the reason why there are changes to the consciousness of a child.

Febrile convulsions

The febrile convulsions are seizures that occur due to fever, usually higher than 38 degrees C. This is quite common, usually among children aged between 6 months and 5 years.

Convulsions
Convulsions transpire due to the sudden, erratic electrical activity within the brain.

It is important to note that children who had their first febrile convulsion before the age of one year face a higher risk for experiencing more febrile convulsions. This type tends to run in families and more likely to affect boys than girls. Even though frightening to watch, the episodes will not cause lasting consequences or brain damage.

Other possible causes

  • Epilepsy
  • Scarring of the brain tissue after a head injury
  • Exposure to flashing lights such as strobe light
  • Looking at patterns on the cinema screen or TV

What are the signs and symptoms?

There are different forms of convulsions but they are characterized as:

  • Abrupt stiffening of the body
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Jerking movements and eyes roll back into the head
  • Deep sleep for an hour or so after

Remember that most cases do not last longer than several minutes. The episodes can be partial which affect only one part of the body or general which affects the entire body.

When to consult a doctor

  • Child experiences his/her first convulsion
  • Child had several or frequent episodes

If an episode lasts longer than 5 minutes, call for emergency assistance right away.

Quick Note / Disclaimer

The material posted on this page on convulsions is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn to recognize and manage convulsions or seizures among children, register for a first aid and CPR course with Saskatoon First aid.

Prevention

There is no guaranteed way to prevent febrile convulsions. The fever can be lowered and make the child comfortable by providing paracetamol and taking off extra clothing. Oftentimes, the convulsion might be an indication of fever.

If a child experiences frequent episodes, the doctor might rarely prescribe anticonvulsant medications to be used continually for several years to prevent the episodes. This is considered as a rare treatment though. The prevention of non-febrile convulsions usually depends on the diagnosed cause.

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