As I was saying...

Sam had his first febrile seizure at eighteen months of age, scared the beegeezus out of his father and me, then recovered. The tonsillitis that brought it on was treated with antibiotics and he responded well and quickly.

Mark and I took longer. When I started researching the condition, that set me back even more:

About a third of children who have a febrile seizure will have another one with a subsequent fever.

Great.

And he did. At about two and a half, once again the dreaded tonsillitis reared its ugly, red-throated head, and before I was even fully aware that Sam was poorly he had a seizure. This one was a bit different, in that what drew my attention was a ghastly cry he let out just as it started ... sort of a combination of a scream and an ugh! Terrible. By the time I realized what was happening, he was in full convulsive behavior: twitching, eyes rolled back in his head, not breathing and starting to turn blue.

This time I was prepared ... sort of ... but I still freaked. I'd learned what to do and did it, but drove like a mad women to the hospital with him as soon as he was breathing again.

This time, he was admitted, and that will be my next post, but for now here's some basic information ...

From the NIH:

Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children. During a febrile seizure, a child often loses consciousness and shakes. Less commonly, a child becomes rigid or has twitches in only a portion of the body. Most febrile seizures last a minute or two; some can be as brief as a few seconds, while others last for more than 15 minutes. Febrile seizures usually occur in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years and are particularly common in toddlers. A few factors appear to boost a child's risk of having recurrent febrile seizures, including young age (less than 15 months) during the first seizures, frequent fevers, and having immediate family members with a history of febrile seizures.

Is there any treatment?
A child who has a febrile seizure usually doesn't need to be hospitalized. If the seizure is prolonged or is accompanied by a serious infection, or if the source of the infection cannot be determined, a doctor may recommend that the child be hospitalized for observation. Prolonged daily use of oral anticonvulsants, such as phenobarbital or valproate, to prevent febrile seizures is usually not recommended because of their potential for side effects and questionable effectiveness for preventing such seizures.

What is the prognosis?
The vast majority of febrile seizures are harmless. There is no evidence that febrile seizures cause brain damage. Certain children who have febrile seizures face an increased risk of developing epilepsy. These children include those who have febrile seizures that are lengthy or that recur within 24 hours and who have cerebral palsy, delayed development, or other neurological abnormalities.

From the Mayo Clinic, here's what they look like:

The child having a febrile seizure may:

Have a fever — usually higher than 102 F
Lose consciousness
Shake or jerk the arms and legs on both sides of the body
Roll his or her eyes back in the head
Have trouble breathing
Lose urine
Vomit
Cry or moan

And what you should do:

Place your child on his or her side, somewhere where he or she won't fall.
Stay close to watch and comfort your child.
Remove any hard or sharp objects near your child.
Loosen any tight or restrictive clothing.
Don't restrain your child or interfere with your child's movements.
Don't attempt to put anything in your child's mouth.
If possible, try to time the seizure using your watch or a clock. Because they're so alarming, seizures often seem to last longer than they really do. Also try to note which part of your child's body begins to shake first, and look for other signs of illness. This can help your doctor understand the cause of the seizure.

With the odds of febrile seizures as high as they are, it's very likely that any preschool or daycare facility will see one eventually. Also sure to happen with some of us, our kids will come with the genetic predisposition to react to fever with these convulsions.

Take my word for it, as a parent you'll be more likely to live through the experience if you're informed. You won't stop shaking for about a month after your child does, however.