Question
A 5-month-old baby suddenly starts having spasms and rolling their eyes, lasting for 2 minutes, with no signs of fever or cold. What could be the cause?
Answer
Based on the description, the baby’s condition may be due to pediatric convulsions. This condition can be caused by various factors or diseases, such as febrile convulsions, toxic encephalopathy, intracranial infection, tetany, infantile spasms, etc. It may also be due to brain development defects, post-injury sequelae of brain damage, drug poisoning, hypoglycemia, and other factors. When dealing with a baby’s convulsions, it is first necessary to identify the cause or disease leading to the convulsions. If it is due to febrile convulsions, cooling measures and symptomatic treatment should be administered. If there are other underlying diseases, active treatment of the primary disease should be carried out on the basis of symptomatic treatment. When a baby has a convulsion, they should be placed on their side, the collar unbuttoned, and a tongue depressor or chopstick placed between the upper and lower jaws to prevent the baby from biting their tongue. At the same time, the baby should be kept calm and any unnecessary stimulation should be avoided. If the baby has a high fever, cold water, well water, or 30% to 50% alcohol can be used to wipe the body, or cold saline enema can be administered. Anethidine drops can be used in the nose or a fever-reducing injection administered. If the convulsions do not stop, immediate hospital treatment should be sought.