Although a febrile seizure can be one of the most frightening things a parent will see happen to their child, most febrile seizures are benign. A small percentage of children with fevers have seizures. If your child has a seizure do the following:
Stay calm! This can be hard to do if watching a seizure for the first time, but your demeanor will affect how your child responds after the seizure has ended.
Although seemingly impossible, try to time the seizure. Be sure to look at your watch. The length of a seizure can seem much longer than it really is.
Turn the child on his side to prevent gagging and aspiration of secretions.
Do not insert anything into his mouth during the seizure (such as your fingers, a bite stick, etc.).
Remove objects that he may hit while having the seizure.
Don’t restrain your child. Let the seizure progress until it finishes.
After the seizure, comfort and reassure your child.
Call your doctor
Knowing how to manage your child’s fever can be comforting to your child and reassuring to you as you wait for the fever process to end. You will be providing the best possible care to your child by having an accurate knowledge of fevers, why they happen, how to treat them and when to call the doctor.