d is sitting or standing, gently ease him or her to the floor. Remove things nearby that can hurt him.
- Place your child on a soft surface, lying on his side and turn the head to face downward (Picture 1).
- Loosen tight clothing. If your child wears glasses, remove them.
- Look to see exactly how your child moves and responds to you so you can describe it later.
- Time how long the seizure lasts. If the seizure stops in less than 5 minutes, contact your child’s doctor for further instructions.
What Not to Do
- Do not try to open your child's mouth or place anything between the teeth. This could injure the gums or break teeth.
- Do not try to stop or restrain your child's movements.
- Do not put your fingers into his mouth. He might accidentally bite them.
- Do not use cold water or add alcohol to bath water to bring a fever down.
When to Call for Help
Have someone call 911 for emergency help if any of these things happens:
- The seizure lasts more than 5 minutes. The emergency squad can give medicine to stop the seizure.
- Your child has trouble breathing during the seizure and his skin or lips change in color.
- Your child chokes on secretions (blood, vomit, etc.)
- Your child is injured during a fall or during the seizure and requires first aid (cut, broken bone).
Call your child’s doctor if he:
- Has a febrile seizure for the first time
- Has more than one febrile seizure
- Looks very ill, is very fussy or is hard to wake up
- Has a stiff neck, bad headache, very sore throat, painful stomachache, unusual rash or keeps vomiting and has diarrhea
- Is younger than 2 months of age and has a rectal temperature of 100.4˚ F or higher
- Fever comes back and lasts for 3 days or longer
- Shows signs of dehydration – dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, or not urinating
After the Seizure
When the movements stop, your child may be quite groggy and confused. He may complain of a mild headache or be a little cranky or tired for a day or so. He will probably not remember having a seizure. There is no need to change your lifestyle or the way you care for your child.
- Your child can safely sleep in his own bed or crib. Be sure to remove extra pillows and soft toys from the bed. For a preschooler, you may want to think about using guardrails on the bed.
- If your child is acting sick and has other signs of illness, follow your doctor's advice as you normally would.
Prevention and Treating a Fever
Talk with your child’s doctor about ways to treat a fever. Treating the fever with medicines may help your child feel more comfortable but it will not prevent a seizure.
Medicines such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used for a fever higher than 101˚F or if your child is uncomfortable. Make sure that you are using the right strength for the age of your child. (Picture 2).
- Follow the directions on the package of all medicines.
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) may be used in children over 2 months.
- Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) may be used in children over 6 months.
- Do NOT give aspirin to children. Aspirin has been linked to a disease called Reye’s syndrome, which can be fatal.
- Give sponge baths after giving medicine. Use water that is lukewarm (85˚F to 90˚F). Sponge the water over the child’s body if he cannot be placed in the bathtub (Picture 3).
- Recheck your child’s temperature 15 minutes after the sponge bath. If the temperature is over 103˚F or is going higher, repeat the sponging.
- Undress your child when indoors. Do not cover him with blankets.
- If your child is having febrile seizures very often, his doctor may prescribe a medicine to use.
HH-I-195 5/98 Revised 3/18 Copyright 1998, Nationwide Children's Hospital