Febrile convulsions means the fits occuring due to an increase in the body temperature.
Age : Usually this happens to the children aged 0 to 5 years.
While the child is having fits, observe for
* High temperature.
*Flushing and sweating.
*Breath holding.
*Twitching of face and limbs.
Caring for an unwell child
Children can get high temperature very quickly. This is a sign that your child is ill. Things you can do to bring the temperature down:
* Take off most of your child's clothes so that he or she can lose heat through the skin. DO NOT wrap the child with blankets.
*Give your child plenty of drinks like water and squash. Do not worry about food if the child does not feel like taking it.
* Give the child medicine to bring the temperature down. Paracetamol is the best. It is sold in the chemists as Panadol, Calpol and in some other names.
These are the usual doses.
3 months to 1 year old - 120 mg - one 5 ml spoon
1 year to 3 years old - 240 mg - two 5ml spoon
4 years and over - 360mg - three 5ml spoon
Repeat the dose every 4 hours to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours. Then 6 hourly for the next 24 hours.
YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR
* If the temperature stays high after trying to bring it down.
* If the high temperature lasts more than 24 hours.
* If your child looks very unwell or has other abnormal things like difficulty in breathing, rash, diarrhoea, is not drinking, is not keen to play or if the child looks sleepy.
* If the child has a convulsion
*If you are worried about your child.