Question
How can one prevent children from suffering from high fever seizures?
Answer
High fever seizures are relatively common in children, especially among those aged 0 to 7, with an incidence rate of 3% to 4%. High fever seizures are usually caused by fever due to upper respiratory infections or tonsillitis, rather than seizures caused by infections in the central nervous system, lungs, urinary tract, or gastrointestinal tract. Why are children prone to high fever seizures? This is mainly because children’s nervous system development is not yet complete, the inhibitory function of the cerebral cortex is weak, and the myelin sheath has not been fully formed. Once stimulated by external factors (such as high fever), excitement can easily spread, leading to seizures. The first high fever seizure usually occurs between 6 months and 3 years of age, and there may be a family history of high fever seizures or epilepsy. Within a few hours after a fever, children usually experience generalized seizures, characterized by upward rolling or staring eyes, continuous twitching of the face and limbs, loss of consciousness, and some may even experience cyanosis and incontinence of urine and feces. The duration of the seizure is short, usually 5 to 10 minutes, and typically only one seizure occurs during an episode of fever. After a seizure episode, the child’s overall condition is generally good. Approximately 30% to 50% of children may experience a recurrence of high fever seizures when they encounter high fever again. For children who frequently suffer from high fever seizures, immediate measures should be taken when they have a high fever, such as taking antipyretics, sedatives, or placing a cold towel on the head. Alcohol sponge baths can also be used to achieve timely cooling and prevent seizures. When a seizure occurs, emergency treatment should be administered, such as placing the child in a lateral position, loosening the collar, cooling the body, and placing a spoon or toothbrush between the upper and lower teeth to prevent tongue biting.