Question
A 1-year-old patient experienced two episodes of febrile seizures over the past two months. The parents are seeking to understand how to prevent future occurrences.
Answer
Once the febrile seizures have subsided and the child’s temperature gradually decreases, and the condition stabilizes, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) will be applied based on the specific condition and main symptoms of the child. If the convulsions are caused by a general infectious disease, TCM treatment should focus on clearing heat and detoxifying; if the convulsions are caused by a specific infectious disease, treatment should be directed at the specific disease. While treating the primary condition, TCM should include herbs that calm the liver and stop wind, such as Cinnamon Twig, Poria, Arthrodermum, Caudalia, Scorpion, Cicada Slough, etc., to calm the liver wind and balance yin and Yang to prevent further convulsions. Some children may experience recurrent febrile seizures because the internal organs’ functions have not been properly regulated after the convulsions or there are still residual pathogens present. Therefore, parents should be reminded that after a child has a febrile seizure, traditional Chinese medicine should be used further to regulate the child’s condition to prevent future convulsions.