What Are Febrile Seizures? Febrile seizures are convulsions that happen in some children with fevers. They affect kids 6 months to 5 years old and are most common in toddlers 12–18 months old. They usually happen on the first day that a child has a fever above 100.4°F (38°C). Most febrile seizures stop on their own after a few minutes and don't cause any other health problems. What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Febrile Seizures? During a febrile seizure, your child may: have jerking movements convulse, shake, or twitch moan become unconscious (pass out) What to Do If you think your child is having a seizure due to fever, try to stay calm and: Gently place your child on the floor or the ground. Remove any nearby objects. Place your child on his or her side to prevent choking. Loosen any clothing around the head and neck. Watch for signs of breathing problems, including bluish color in the face. Try to keep track of how long the seizure lasts. When the seizure is over, call your doctor. He or she probably will want to see your child. Get Emergency Medical Care if Your Child: has a febrile seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes the seizure involves only some parts of the body instead of the whole body has trouble breathing or turns blue isn't responding normally has another seizure within 24 hours Think Prevention! No one knows why febrile seizures happen, so they usually can't be prevented. If your child is uncomfortable due to the fever, give acetaminophen or ibuprofen as directed by your doctor. It's important to call the doctor so your child can be seen after a febrile seizure. Back to Articles Related Articles Febrile Seizures Febrile seizures are full-body convulsions caused by high fevers that affect young kids. Although they can be frightening, they usually stop on their own and don't cause any other health problems. Read More First Aid: Fever Fevers are usually not cause for alarm - they're the body's way of fighting infection. Here's what to do if your child has a fever. Read More Seizures Seizures are caused by a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain. Find out what you need to know about seizures and what to do if your child has one. Read More Fevers Fevers happen when the body's internal "thermostat" raises the body temperature above normal. This is often the body's way of fighting infections. Read More Word! Seizure You might hear a seizure called a convulsion, fit, or spell. Read More What's a Fever? What are fevers? Why do kids get them? Get the facts on temperatures and fevers in this article for kids. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.