Febrile Fits

Reply to Febrile Fits on Tue, 07 Jun 2016 01:56:47 GMT

heyhoe — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 01:56:47 GMT

Hi rojakz,

Yes, my ds has congested nose. I guess he has not been sleeping well as I can see dark rings under his eyes. Thus, I suspect it could also be due to lack of oxygen to the brain. Although I’m not sure if this theory is right.

Currently we are monitoring his situation. Life goes as normal but we re-arrange the sleeping position - hopefully the kids can sleep better. No late nights too.

Thanks all, sure hope it will not re-occur.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 14:38:41 GMT

rojakz — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 14:38:41 GMT

Was your DS not feeling well just before the fits happen? my eldest DS was having flu when he had his 3rd fits episode (2nd due to dehydration cos of diarrhea). If the fits is not due to fever, then it’ll be diagnosed as afebrile fits. It also means that anything can trigger the kid until you find out what is his ‘trigger’ and control it.

You may want to keep a watchful eye on your DS so that if the next episode happens, you can time the duration of the episode. In fits, doctors are very particular about duration cos too long is not good for the brain. Not all fits show the jerking / eye rolling symptoms. my MIL had an episode last year when she just stared fixedly/blankly in one direction and did not respond for a few minutes. After that, she was sleepy also. my MIL also has epilepsy but hers is after the stroke so I’m kind of familiar with fits esp she’s been to the hospital 3x due to fits.

PM me if you need more info.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 06:27:33 GMT

heyhoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 06:27:33 GMT

Thank you for all the replies. My ds had seen a doctor and suggested to monitor first as it is the first time. Also, the doctor is trying to get a letter for brain scanning referral. Letting us decide if we wish to do so at a later stage.

Question now is should I tell his form teacher when school re-opens?

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 05:13:03 GMT

ammonite — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 05:13:03 GMT

heyhoe:
Hi, No, there was no fever. It was a normal night.

Hi sounds like mild epileptic fits. Please bring to a doctor with information on date, time, duration and presentation during and after. They may run a EEG to scan brain activity etc.

If it is epilepsy, don't be overly alarmed. It is managed through medication and some can outgrow it. The main danger is getting a seizure when alone esp swimming or driving, biting the tongue or hitting the head upon losing consciousness.
You did the right thing putting your child in recovery position and letting him sleep it off afterwards. One of the standard advice I was told previously was to put a thick cloth between the jaws to prevent biting on the tongue, but that is really hard to do during a seizure!

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 03:39:52 GMT

542la — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 03:39:52 GMT

After/during the fit did you happen to check whether your son was warm or not? If no fever whatsoever it could be something else and it needs a medication like the one my daughter used to take, Valproic Acid. It is best if you consult a doctor. Hope it helps.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 03:13:18 GMT

heyhoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 03:13:18 GMT

Hi, No, there was no fever. It was a normal night.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 02:58:27 GMT

542la — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 02:58:27 GMT

Hi,

Is it accompanied by fever? As far as I know febrile fits happen very seldom after 10 (unless the fever is very high and no fever drugs) but fits without fever (due to other conditions) can happen at any age.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 02:34:27 GMT

heyhoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 02:34:27 GMT

Yes, …and I was so scared that I would lose him.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 02:02:10 GMT

Nebbermind — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 02:02:10 GMT

heyhoe:
Hi

Is it possible to get fits/seizure at 11 years old? Yesterday morning, my ds had these symptoms. I was awoken by his loud shrieks. His body shakes and he drools a little.

I started to panicked and call him repeatedly but he doesn’t seem to be aware of what’s going on. His eyes sort of roll backwards but at the same time seems to be staring at a direction. His teeth was clenched. I tried to get him sit up but his body was limp. My hb carry him to a sitting position and after a while he seems to hear our instructions.

Then he felt sleepy and knowing he was conscious I let him sleep in a recovery position again. When he woke up from his sleep he doesn’t seem to know what happen. He seems normal but his brothers were shaken by the incidents.

I suppose there isn't any age limit for fits/seizure. Had fellow NS who had this condition...but donch remember it happening much....could be managed by medication?

Was this the 1st time you encounter this for your DS?

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 06 Jun 2016 01:29:32 GMT

heyhoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 01:29:32 GMT

Hi

Is it possible to get fits/seizure at 11 years old? Yesterday morning, my ds had these symptoms. I was awoken by his loud shrieks. His body shakes and he drools a little.

I started to panicked and call him repeatedly but he doesn’t seem to be aware of what’s going on. His eyes sort of roll backwards but at the same time seems to be staring at a direction. His teeth was clenched. I tried to get him sit up but his body was limp. My hb carry him to a sitting position and after a while he seems to hear our instructions.

Then he felt sleepy and knowing he was conscious I let him sleep in a recovery position again. When he woke up from his sleep he doesn’t seem to know what happen. He seems normal but his brothers were shaken by the incidents.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 09 May 2011 19:59:50 GMT

542la — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:59:50 GMT

Hope this helps:)

My DD started to have febrile fits when she was 6 m.o. Afterwards she had 7 more in 3 yrs time bc usually she had fits first, then fever, so it's impossible to prevent. In some cases like my DD, fits can be dangerous bc during those times they stop breathing (face turned grey/blue). I consulted 3 paediatrician neurologists (all professors) and the recommendation was the same, she should be given Valproic Acid daily for 2 yrs. But since she can hv fits with 38 degree fever, she's usually prescribed with Stesolid syrup if she reaches that temperature. I think Valproic Acid is a helpful drug and now my DD is 6.5 and looks like she's grown out of it. Yay! Thank God!
Another thing, although most people stop having fits around 7 yr old, my DH had his last fit when he was 10. So always be careful, I guess

Reply to Febrile Fits on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:38:03 GMT

htan045 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:38:03 GMT

My son used to get fits when he had high fever and was told by the GP that it is not unusual for kids under 5 yo. They would outgrow it when they grow older. To add to Jenniferjoey, the kid should also be turned to lie on his side to allow the fluid to flow out from his mouth. Also, to prevent them from falling into a fit, the important thing is to monitor and control the the temperature. I have to alternate between paracetamol and bruffen when he was having high fever.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:16:59 GMT

joavril — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:16:59 GMT

hi mummy, glad to see this forum thread. My daughter had febrile fits when she is about 13mths. Got it twice in a day 2months later in Oct, and once again in Dec… all due to fever…

Not sure why she is getting fever so freq. She is not attending any school now.

Always admitted her so that tests can be carried out, all diagnosed as viral fever. Fits is unexplained for.

PD refer me to Mt E for EEG, but after talking to the neuro specialist, he suggested to put her on observation first.

Another PD prescribed her medication, suggested to take for like 1-2yrs. But i havent start her on this because I am planning to bring her to TCM soon.

Not sure what would be the consequences?

How can i prevent her from getting fever so frequent?

Reply to Febrile Fits on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:56:13 GMT

hdbmama — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:56:13 GMT

i totally agree with ngchris that NO one can understand until you see your own kid at this state.

My son has febrile fits occasionlly only when he had fever.

1st very fits at 15mths. He cried right after the fits and we rushed him to KK hospital and he was hospitalised.

2nd relapse 20mths which happened once at home and had loose stools after the fits and one fits during the stay in the hospital. .When we rushed to the hospital, he was NOT crying and in deep sleep and we thought he was DEAD as he showed no response.

The 3rd time was 4 yrs old just few days right after his birthday. I was ALONE with him at home. His eyes was rolling up and showed NO jerk. Right arm was carrying him while the other arm opened the door. His body was so "jelly" that he almost FALL back as he was unconscious while i tried to open the door from my other arm. I can’t carried him with one arm as he was 12kg. I was SO panicked that i CANT open my door and started screaming! My neighbour asked me what happened that i told him that my son got fits. He vomitted his food on my clothes.
Worst of all, not all the lifts are accessible at my floor area and i had to go down the stairs and carried a bag and one of the lifts were under upgrading! Waiting for the lift seemed like ages.
I regretted that i didn’t take his words seriously as he told me he was going to have fever just few days before. Children has their "INSTINCT". Parents pls DO NOT IGNORE LIKE ME!

It seems like going to TCM helps.

Parents, take good care of your kid

Reply to Febrile Fits on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:00:45 GMT

jenniferjoey — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:00:45 GMT

[Moderator's note: Topic selected for http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/febrile-fits.]

Dear Mums and Dads,

Please take notes about Febrile Seizures(Fits),

Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Symptoms may vary depending on the part of the brain that is involved, but seizures often cause unusual sensations, uncontrollable muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

Some seizures may be the result of a medical problem. Low blood sugar, infection, a head injury, accidental poisoning,lack of sleep or drug overdose can cause a seizure. A seizure may also be due to a brain tumor or other health problem affecting the brain. In addition, anything that results in a sudden lack of oxygen to the brain can cause a seizure. In some cases, the cause of the seizure is never discovered.

When seizures recur, it may indicate the chronic condition known as epilepsy.

Febrile seizures, relatively common in kids younger than 5 years old, can occur when a child develops a high fever, usually with the temperature rising rapidly to 102° Fahrenheit (38.9° Celsius) or more. While terrifying to parents, these seizures are usually brief and rarely cause any problems, unless the fever is associated with a serious infection, such as meningitis. A child who has a febrile seizure is not more likely to develop epilepsy.

If Your Child Has a Seizure
A child who's having a seizure should be placed on the ground or floor in a safe area. Remove any nearby objects. Loosen any clothing around the head or neck. Do not try to wedge the child's mouth open or place an object between the teeth, and do not attempt to restrain movements. (As this will causes injury to your child as their musles are contracting involuntarily). Once the seizure seems to have ended, roll your child onto his or her side.

Call Ambulance immediately if your child:
- has difficulty breathing
- turns bluish in color
- has sustained a head injury
- seems ill
- has a known heart condition
- has never had a seizure before
- might have ingested any poisons, medications, etc.
- If your child has previously had seizures, call emergency services if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, or if the seizure is different or unusual.

If your child is breathing normally and the seizure lasts just a few minutes, you can wait until it has subsided, then call your doctor.

Following the seizure, your child will probably fall into a deep sleep (this is called the postictal period). This is normal, and you should not try to wake your child. Do not attempt to give food or drink until your child is awake and alert.

For a child who has febrile seizures, the doctor may suggest that you give fever-reducing medicine (such as ibuprofen, neurofen or acetaminophen) to control the fever and prevent seizures from recurring. Your doctor may also recommend sponging your child with normal roomtemperature water to help cool him or her down. Controlling of temperature is very important for febrile fits.

Please take good care of your child. God Bless!

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:55:13 GMT

rojakz — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:55:13 GMT

My son also had febrile fits when he was 21 mths and provoked fits when he turned 24 mths. Both times, my hb and i were scared to death when we saw it happening. AFter he was discharged the 2nd time, he was supposed to go for eeg (to monitor the brain waves) but didnt cos' PD neurosurgeon told us to monitor and if it happened again (touch wood) then she will send him to go for it. However, she did mentioned that we must monitor my son closely esp when he's standing from a tall place or near a body of water.

I dun know how true it is but we brought him to see a TCM doctor after the 2nd episode and hopefully, he's fine now.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:51:33 GMT

krazy — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:51:33 GMT

chancing upon this thread brings back nightmares...

my girl had it once just a week before she turned 1. it was scary.

her face was blue, her lips black, she was limp and she couldn't respond to me at all.

i thought i had lost her and i was hysterical.

thankfully this was an isolated incident and it never occurred again.

doc told me that once the child hits 3 years old, chance of getting the fits greatly diminishes. apparently, i also had it when i was a kid.. i only found out very much later from my mum.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:27:31 GMT

chuanchuan — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:27:31 GMT

When my son was about 1 plus, he had diarrohea and vomitting (without fever). Then one early morning after his diarrohea, suddenly his arms and legs jerked involuntarily , clenching his teeth. The next thing I knew was that his lips turned black and he became motionless. He was like “gone" (forgot to check his heartbeat). We tried to wake him but he would not response.

We called an ambulance, they also could not wake him. I was holding him throughout the ride. The moment we reached KKH, he was awake and smiling. Warded for observation for 1 night, diagnosis was provoked seizure.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:51:37 GMT

ngchris — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:51:37 GMT

Hi luvmum, I dont know. Mine so far happens when accompanied with fever.

Here’s the extract from KK brochure on febrile fits - not sure if it helps.
- Simple febrile fits commonly occur in children between 6 mths to 6 years old. There may be a history of such fits in the family.
- Fits usually occur with high fevers, especially when the temp reachers 38.5 deg or more.
- In a fit, the child’s arms and legs will jerk involvuntarily; up-rolling of the eyes and teeth clenching are common sighs. The child may also pass motion and/or urine during a fit.
- Fits usually last a few minutes, with some as long as 15 minutes.
- A child will commonly feel sleepy after a fit.
- There is a 30 per cent chance that the child will have another fit, especially if the body temperature maintains at 38.5 deg and above.
- The actual cause of febrile fits has not been clearly established but they may be a background family history associated with it.
- Simple febrie fits do not cause brain damage nor do they cause delay in a child’s development.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:32:22 GMT

luvmum — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:32:22 GMT

Febrile Fits only happen when there is high temp? If no fever and still have fits, what will tat be? Will children outgrow from it and is that deem to be serious? :roll:

Reply to Febrile Fits on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:21:10 GMT

ChiefKiasu — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:21:10 GMT

insider:
Seeing your child in a first febrile fit is a very terrifying experience. Their body froze, eyeball out of alignment, etc...

My daughter had one when her temperature breached 40 degrees, when she was 2yo. It is about the most horrifying time of my life, second only to the time when I was told my mother probably won't survive her stroke.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:29:21 GMT

MMM — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:29:21 GMT

Yes and I think I read somewhere that it’s more likely to affect boys rather than girls.

My 6 yr old (who had febrile fits last time) had fever yesterday and it went up to 40 degree. Never so high and we were at the GP clinic. So he was given nerofen immediately even though he just had his progesic 1/2 hr ago. His face tend to turn red and his eyes so not lively and also he complain of headache everytime the fever is high. Probably becoz he is tired, he was dozing off too.

For a moment, having talk abt his condition in this post saying that he seems to outgrow it. I was worried that he will suddenly get fits. Fortunately he is better today (back to normal). As he is supposed to be in BC camp this week, he was enjoying it tremendously and also the cost is not cheap but too bad we had to let him skip class today so as to be socially responsible.

Reply to Febrile Fits on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:16:55 GMT

ngchris — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:16:55 GMT

Thank you thank you all for sharing !

My feet went wobbly each time i recall those incidents (had a couple) and every single fever alarm or call from teachers (yes I was kiasu enough to tell them to call me whenever the temp is above 37 deg) will make me jump and drop whatever I was doing and rushed to pick him up/home. Felt guilty and helpless too when sometimes you thought it’s due to your fault that perhaps ibufern was administered not fast enough.

I dont think others will be able to understand until you have seen your own child in that state before …

Reply to Febrile Fits on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:21:45 GMT

scoobydoo — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:21:45 GMT

My daughter had fits when she was 18 months old. It happened while I was showering her. She had just recovered from a fever the day before. All of a sudden, her body stiffened, initially I thought she was playing with me, but when I saw her eyes roll, I knew she had fits. Quickly I brought her out and somehow some insticnt told me to check her tongue...it had gone behind, so I stuck my fingers in her mouth to sort of pull her tongue out and kept it pressed down. We threw some clothes over her, and I carried her and ran to the clinic downstairs. But the doc there seemed to be in a panic too and refused to attend to her, but by then she had seemed to have recovered a little but unconcious. So my wife stayed at the clinic while I ran all the way back to get my car (thank goodness for IPPT training or it could have been adrenaline :lol: ) and drove to a nearby PD's clinic. The PD was alot more calm and took over immediately. Once she had assertained that my daughter was somewhat stabilsed, she called for an ambulance. My daughter was warded at KKH for 4 days. Diagnosis was provoked seizure, likely caused by electrolyte imbalance.

It was the scariest day of my life. So far *touch wood*, she has not had a another attack.