What I Learned About Seizures When I Took Over My Son’s Treatment
Tags: Health, Children, Parenting, Body, Life Lessons

My son has experienced a febrile convulsion at four years of age — a high fever seizure. It is (supposedly) an episode of brain contracting, caused by a high fever (above 39°C/102,2°F). I have witnessed doctors being very skeptical and timid about febrile convulsions.

According to our doctors — we ought to do everything possible to prevent potentially repeating febrile convulsions. They were sure that these appear as a result of high fever. As they did not want the temperature to rise above 38,5°C (101,3°F), they immediately administered the antipyretic.

I was a little skeptical about the therapy, having considered the sudden spikes in temperature to be a more viable reason to result in convulsion. Every time the antipyretic eased off, the body started to lift the temperature, causing a temperature spike, putting my son in danger to experience another seizure.

I explained my perspective, but doctors disagreed. They did not want to allow the temperature to rise above 38,5°C (101,3°F). So they continued to administer the antipyretic. Asking the doctors for a reasonable explanation remained unanswered.

Antipyretic for the fear? Whose fear?

I found an article about fever and convulsions in a national online medical journal. The Head of the pediatrics department, a respected university professor, expressed his concerns about the prevailing fear among medical society towards fever.

He described the highly probable adverse effects of administering antipyretics and high fever correlation with the convulsions. I particularly remember his appeal to medical professionals to recognize fever as the natural mechanism of our immune system — the ally, not the enemy — and not to mess with it.

I remember the poster on the local pediatric clinic door, only a week after our hospital experience, explaining how to let the fever do its job:

“Fever is your ally, not the enemy.”

The poster had to be designed and printed at least one month before. The article — and the appeal by the professor — was posted and spread among medical professionals at least ten years ago. How come our doctors were still so anxious about the fever a week ago?

After all, he explicitly appealed to professionals to consider the unjustified fear.

Questions that bothered me were: “Are febrile convulsions symptoms, side effects, or the cause for some illness or disorder?” and “What causes them?”

I did some research on febrile convulsions. Every medical study emphasized trying to stabilize body temperature. Seizures supposedly occur not due to high body temperature but due to its fast elevation. The brain can not handle that easily.

I was still in doubt about the inability of the body to tolerate its own mechanisms. But I left that one for another time.

Al natural organisms strive to optimize their energy consumption. When necessary, the organism triggers a rise in body temperature and wants to maintain it no longer than needed.

When using antipyretics, we paralyze our thermo-regulating system. After the effects of antipyretics diminish, our organism starts to regain that specific temperature as soon as possible. And our doctors did just the same.

Head of the pediatrics department

Disagreeing with them, I decided to contact the before mentioned professor directly to discuss and verify my perspective. I explained my impediments towards the reasons for febrile convulsions. I asked for his opinion. Professor fully agreed that sudden spikes in brain temperature — and not high fever itself — are the most probable cause for the seizures.

He also explained that for more than a decade, he wrote articles, lectured, and warned his colleagues about it, with little success. Fear of fever and potential damage is still pretty much present among medical professionals. And the fear mostly comes from a failure to understand this protective mechanism.

He mentioned that in his +40 years-long medical career, he has never experienced a (neurologically healthy) child to die of a high temperature, except for external heat sources (e.g., baby left in a hot car on a parking lot).

Antibiotics for a viral infection?

Similarly, the overuse of antibiotics is widely recognized and (still) a serious concern. Despite universal agreement that antibiotic overprescribing is a problem, the practice continues. (MDEdge, 2017)

Antibiotic overprescribing is most prominent in outpatient settings such as clinics and emergency departments. Most inappropriately for viral respiratory infections, such as viral bronchitis, otitis, and sinusitis. (CIDRAP)

Health professionals — well aware of the present-day overuse and risks associated with it — continually inform the public.

But in our case, doctors preventively prescribed the antibiotics. None of the routine tests showed any signs of bacterial infection. But they wanted to overtake the bacteria anyway — just in case it shows up later? What about the side effects and potentially permanent damage of just in case?

After four days, still no change in my son’s health? Their new diagnosis — atypical bacterial pneumonia. They concluded they need more powerful antibiotics. I disagreed with their diagnosis, and consequently, they discharged us from the hospital. They wrote in the discharge letter: inability to achieve progress because parents rejected diagnosis and therapy.

I mean, who are these people?!? Every check and test indicated against their diagnosis, but they still could not consider being wrong?

We went to the university medical center for a second opinion. We received a diagnosis of mild viral infection and got sent home.

How damaging is a fever?

I wrote in detail about fever and fever management in another article.

In short, a study (WJCP, 2012) concluded that the temperature does not climb up relentlessly and does not exceed an upper limit of 42°C. Within that limit, there is no evidence that fever is injurious to tissue. Febrile seizures are usually benign and do not cause brain damage.

If high fever spikes cause febrile seizures, treating the latter can not solve their cause.

Conclusion

I researched a lot of medical literature and concluded that medical professionals are, too, in an unenviable position. Their rigid system can not keep up with the pace of modern exponential growth of change, ideas, and technology. A general internist would need to read 19 articles per day, 365 days per year — to stay up to date with all medical advances.

What can one do in such turbulent times of growth and change? Stay awake and attentive; help medical professionals, do your due diligence, and be responsible for your health, instead of blindly relying on them.

I might be wrong. It feels very contradictory and often conflicts with the prevalent beliefs. What you take away from my thoughts is entirely up to you. Build your own perspective and understanding.

I am not a medical expert to give advice. I only collect research and studies from medical professionals, link them together, trying to understand.