How common is fever in febrile seizures?

A febrile seizure is a convulsion associated with fever in a young child, usually during an infection. The temperature may be rising when the seizure begins, so the seizure can be the first sign that a child is becoming ill. The child may stiffen, jerk, lose awareness, or briefly become unresponsive. Most episodes stop on their own, but the event should still be medically assessed, particularly when it is a first seizure.

Place the child on a safe surface on their side, move nearby objects away, and note when the movements begin. Do not restrain them, put anything in their mouth, or try to give food, drink, or medicine during the seizure. When it stops, check breathing and stay with the child. Fever medicine may improve comfort but does not reliably prevent another febrile seizure.

Call emergency services if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, repeats without full recovery, affects only one side, or the child has breathing difficulty. Seek urgent assessment for a first seizure, a stiff neck, a concerning rash, persistent unresponsiveness, serious injury, or a child who remains very unwell after the episode.

Ask what caused the fever, how to respond if another seizure occurs, whether a rescue medicine is needed, and which warning signs require emergency help.