Question

How can traditional and Western medicine prevent children from developing epilepsy from convulsions? Detailed medical history and consultation purpose are as follows: to prevent the child from turning into epilepsy.

  • Duration of the current episode and the duration of the attack: about 2 minutes.
  • Current general condition: good.
  • Medical history: First occurred at 9 months old, and half a month later, it happened again, with a total of 2 episodes at that time, accompanied by high fever. Over the past 4 years, she had two episodes with temperatures of 37.5 or 37.9 before her body temperature rose. This year, there have been 4 episodes.
  • Previous diagnosis and treatment process and effectiveness: hospital intravenous fluid therapy.
  • Auxiliary examination: none.

Answer

High fever convulsions are a common symptom in infants and young children under 3 years old, often occurring during acute upper respiratory tract infections. Males are more prone to the condition than females, and it usually stops recurring after 3 to 5 years of age. The attack of high fever convulsions is mainly due to the underdevelopment of the child’s nervous system, compounded by infection and fever. High fever convulsions have a genetic predisposition, are prone to recurrence, with a recurrence rate of 50% within the first year of life, and repeated episodes can lead to brain damage, resulting in intellectual disability, behavioral disorders, paralysis, or progression to epilepsy. The characteristics of high fever convulsions are as follows:

  • Infants may experience convulsions when they have a body temperature above 38.5 degrees, especially above 39 degrees, during non-central nervous system infections. The convulsions are generalized, often manifested assudden onset, loss of consciousness, fixed or upward rolling eyes, backward head tilt, and tetanic movements of the limbs. The corners of the mouth or facial muscles may also twitch. There may be temporary cessation of breathing and the skin may turn blue or pale. The duration is short.