eMedicine Specialties > Neurology > Pediatric Neurology

Febrile Seizures: Follow-up

Author: Robert Baumann, MD, Program Director, Professor, Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Kentucky
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 23, 2009

Follow-up

Prognosis

Prognosis for normal neurologic function is excellent.

  • About one third of children who experience a single simple febrile seizure will have another.
  • The lifetime rate of epilepsy in these children is slightly above that of the general population.4

Patient Education

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

Not recognizing bacterial meningitis or herpes simplex encephalitis and falsely diagnosing as a simple febrile seizure

Special Concerns

  • Parental anxiety or other factors may cause a child to be placed on long-term anticonvulsant medicine. This will not benefit the patient.
  • When administered on a daily basis, 2 medications have demonstrated effectiveness in preventing recurrent febrile seizures.
    • Phenobarbital can cause adverse behavioral effects in about 40% of children and allergic reaction.
    • Valproate is associated with liver failure plus injury to other organs such as bone marrow, kidney, and pancreas.
    • Neither medication is proven to be of long-term benefit to children with simple febrile seizure.
 


More on Febrile Seizures

Overview: Febrile Seizures
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Febrile Seizures
Treatment & Medication: Febrile Seizures
Follow-up: Febrile Seizures
References
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References

  1. Winawer M, Hesdorffer D. Turning on the heat: the search for febrile seizure genes. Neurology. Nov 23 2004;63(10):1770-1. [Medline].

  2. Vestergaard M, Pedersen MG, Ostergaard JR, Pedersen CB, Olsen J, Christensen J. Death in children with febrile seizures: a population-based cohort study. Lancet. Aug 9 2008;372(9637):457-63. [Medline].

  3. Rosman NP, Colton T, Labazzo J, et al. A controlled trial of diazepam administered during febrile illnesses to prevent recurrence of febrile seizures. N Engl J Med. Jul 8 1993;329(2):79-84. [Medline].

  4. Verity CM, Golding J. Risk of epilepsy after febrile convulsions: a national cohort study. BMJ. Nov 30 1991;303(6814):1373-6. [Medline].

  5. Baumann RJ. Technical report: treatment of the child with simple febrile seizures. Pediatrics. Jun 1999;103(6):e86. [Medline].

  6. [Guideline] Febrile seizures: clinical practice guideline for the long-term management of the child with simple febrile seizures. Pediatrics. Jun 2008;121(6):1281-6. [Medline].

  7. [Guideline] Practice parameter: the neurodiagnostic evaluation of the child with a first simple febrile seizure. American Academy of Pediatrics. Provisional Committee on Quality Improvement, Subcommittee on Febrile Seizures. Pediatrics. May 1996;97(5):769-72; discussion 773-5. [Medline].

  8. [Guideline] Riemenschneider TA, Baumann RJ, Duffner PK, et al. Practice parameter: the neurodiagnostic evaluation of the child with a first simple febrile seizure. American Academy of Pediatrics. Provisional Committee on Quality Improvement, Subcommittee on Febrile Seizures. Pediatrics. May 1996;97(5):769-72; discussion 773-5. [Medline].

  9. Thoman JE, Duffner PK, Shucard JL. Do serum sodium levels predict febrile seizure recurrence within 24 hours?. Pediatr Neurol. Nov 2004;31(5):342-4. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

febrile convulsions, fever fits, epilepsy, seizure, simple febrile seizures, complex febrile seizures, symptomatic febrile seizures

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Robert Baumann, MD, Program Director, Professor, Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Kentucky
Robert Baumann, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Child Neurology Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

James J Riviello Jr, MD, George Peterkin Endowed Chair in Pediatrics, Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Professor of Neurology, Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology, Baylor College of Medicine; Chief of Neurophysiology, Director of the Epilepsy and Neurophysiology Program, Texas Children's Hospital
James J Riviello Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Kenneth J Mack, MD, PhD, Senior Associate Consultant, Department of Child and Adolescent Neurology, Mayo Clinic
Kenneth J Mack, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, Child Neurology Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Neuroscience
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Selim R Benbadis, MD, Professor, Director of Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of South Florida School of Medicine, Tampa General Hospital
Selim R Benbadis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, American Epilepsy Society, and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Amy Kao, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University; Consulting Staff, Shriners Hospital for Children
Amy Kao, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Epilepsy Society, and Child Neurology Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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