Question
My child has been unusually quiet while reading, and since last week, I’ve noticed that when she lies down or sits, her thighs, knees, shoulders, and arms experience severe pain and muscle spasms. What could this be a symptom of? I want to know the difference between febrile convulsions and epilepsy, as she seems fine otherwise. What kind of help do I need?
Answer
Febrile convulsions in children are a type of paroxysmal disease associated with fever, commonly occurring in children aged 0.5 to 6 years. The seizures typically occur with fever, but the brain is not infected during the seizure. The incidence of febrile convulsions is slightly higher in boys than in girls. Children with febrile convulsions usually experience generalized tonic or generalized clonic spasms. If the seizure duration is between 15 minutes to 2 hours, we refer to it as complex febrile convulsions. Febrile convulsions and epilepsy are not the same thing, but either condition can cause harm to children. Therefore, parents should promptly take their child to a medical facility for examination if any symptoms arise.