Most are over in a minute or two, but some may last as long as 15 minutes. Although they can be upsetting for parents, the American Academy of Family Physicians says they aren t as dangerous as they appear. The vast majority are harmless, and there's no evidence that febrile seizures cause brain damage or have any long-term impact. They can be an indication of a slightly increased tendency towards epilepsy, but the risk for children who experience them is only marginally higher than for the general population. Local family physician Dr. David Price says anyone can have a seizure with a high enough temperature, but some have lower thresholds than others do.
Young children are particularly prone, especially if their body temperature rises rapidly.
Febrile seizures occur most often in toddlers although they can be seen in infants and in children as old as five. He urges anxious parents to take comfort in the fact that children outgrow febrile seizures almost without exception. Febrile seizures often occur on the first day children are sick, just as their temperature rises, sometimes before parents suspect they re ill. While it s not always possible to prevent seizures, Dr. Price says parents and caregivers can take action to help children through them. Place the child on the floor or ground to prevent falling.