CONVULSIONS. A PARENT’S MOMENTS OF TERROR!

It is dreaded by most parents, but few understand why it happens and how to prevent it.

THE term ‘convulsion’ is commonly used interchangeably with ‘seizure.’  There are many types of seizures, but one particular type relevant to babies is ‘febrile seizure’, which is triggered by a fever. This type of seizure mostly occurs between the age of six months and six years.

How can you tell that a child has a fever?
Although symptoms vary, most babies will cry when they experience a fever, because it results in a lot of discomfort. Other common signs include loss of appetite, sudden vomiting, irritability, restlessness, lethargy, uncontrollable shivering, pale look, heat in the forehead while hands and feet stay cool, and febrile convulsion.

One of the most common and natural ways for a parent to diagnose fever is by feeling the baby’s temperature using the back of your hand. Place it on the baby’s forehead and neck as well as her whole body.

It is also advisable for a parent to keep a thermometer at home—nowadays digital thermometers, which beep when they finish the measurement, are generally available. Using a thermometer is clinically recommended by pediatricians since it provides the accurate way of measuring a baby’s body temperature. It is however not advisable to use an oral (mouth) thermometer before your baby attains the age of three years.

The thermometer is usually placed under the baby’s armpit. A temperature of 37.2 indicates the onset of fever, while anything above 38 degrees Celsius requires you to seek medical attention, especially if your baby is less than six months old, has a stiff neck, looks confused or irritable.

A fever should not be left unattended beyond 24 hours.

What can you do when a child gets a fever?
Most fevers are due to minor illnesses and will fade away as the infection clears-up. Tackling a fever involves two steps:

One, reducing the temperature of the patient, and two, determining and treating the root cause of the fever.

Some common ailments or conditions that lead to fever in babies include colds and flu, chicken pox, sore throat, ear infection, respiratory illness such as pneumonia, viral illness, mumps, infected cuts, urinary infections, measles, urinary tract infections, and immunization.

Place a wet rag on the baby’s forehead or sponge bath the baby using lukewarm water in a shallow bath. Never use cold water to cool a baby!

Since a baby with high fever is bound to loose body fluids quickly through perspiration and evaporation through the mouth, give them plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

Use only a light sheet or light blanket to cover the baby: keep the room cool, but do not expose her to direct cold.

You can also use fever-reducing medications as advised by your health care provider. To reduce the baby’s temperature, paracetamol or ibuprofen suspension is recommended but only if your baby is more than eight weeks old.

Never try aspirin on your baby as it can be harmful.

How do you tell that a child has convulsions?
A child who is experiencing a febrile seizure may fail to respond when you call. She may stiffen, blink or roll eyes—such that only the whites are visible, have facing or head spasms, breath with difficulty, twitch or jerk her limbs violently or fall down, have a black out (lose consciousness), look pale, or foam at the mouth.

Most febrile seizures do not last more than ten minutes, but may occasionally last much longer. After the convulsions, the baby remains awake as compared to convulsions due to illness such as malaria or meningitis where the baby becomes sleepy and looks confused.

It is believed that infants who have a febrile seizure while under one year of age have a high probability of having another one in future.

Should you be terrified?
The signs and symptoms of a febrile seizure are very dramatic and often cause great panic in parents, especially if it is happening for the first time or they have little knowledge about the condition.

Despite the terror they cause to a parent, febrile seizures do not normally harm or kill a child. Most parents get into a frenzy and may rush to call the spouse or friend to come help, targeting that their total attention needs to be on the baby. Risks can arise if proper care is not taken to ensure comfort and non-obstruction of the baby’s airways,

To ease your mind, the following are useful notes to bear in mind.

o A febrile seizure is not painful.
o It is not epilepsy
o It does not affect your baby’s future development.
o It rarely causes brain damage.
o Convulsions due fever happen fast and disappear quickly.
o They do not cause a permanent disability.

Please note, however, that the above relate only to fever-induced convulsions and may not necessary apply to other types of convulsions.

What to do if the child convulses at home
Be calm and get a hold on yourself. Panicking will only worsen your ability to handle the situation. Loosen any tight clothing on the baby.

Carefully remove anything she may have had in her mouth, such as a dummy or food.

Lay her on the bed or on the floor. Place her on her stomach with her head on one side to prevent secretions (vomiting), choking and to ease breathing.

Move any hard or sharp objects away from the baby as these can cause injuries in the event of jerking movements.

You can also open the windows especially if the room temperature feels hot.

If the baby still has difficulties in breathing you can lift her chin. Stay with her and observe her recovery, but request someone to call for help if you notice worsening of the condition, for instance if the convulsion lasts longer than two or three minutes or your baby seems to have increased difficulty in breathing.

DON’TS:

o Do not place anything in the baby’s mouth.
o Do not try to hold the baby’s limbs still. Trying to restrain the baby from convulsing can only cause further injuries,
o Call your baby’s doctor for advice in case you feel confused or unsure about her condition.
o Once the convulsion ends, take the baby to hospital for a check-up to rule out hidden effects and determine the root cause of the fever.

How can you forestall another future attack?
To help prevent another seizure, keep your child’s temperature low during all illnesses.

If your child is sick or has a fever, avoid overdressing her. Your child’s temperature may rise even more if she is wearing layers of warm clothes.

Should the baby be taken to hospital?
It is wise that the baby be taken to the nearest hospital especially if the she convulses more than once in the same period.

The baby’s caregiver should watch every movement and time span during the convulsions so as to advise the health care provider and enable him or her provide appropriate treatment such as anticonvulsant medicines.

If the convulsion persists for over five minutes, call an ambulance or get the baby to the nearest hospital via the fastest available means.

END:BL12/69-70

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