A look at the most common type of seizures in the young pediatric population.

Hosts:
Brian Gilberti, MD
Audrey Bree Tse, MD


https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Febrile_Seizures.mp3



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Tags: Pediatrics





Show Notes
Background

The most common type of seizure in children under 5 years of age
Occur in 2-5% of children
In children with a fever, aged 6 months to 5 years of age, and without a CNS infection
Risk Factors

4 times more likely to have a febrile seizure if parent had one
Also increase in risk if siblings or nieces / nephews had one


Common associated infections

Human Herpesvirus 6
Human Herpesvirus 7
Influenza A & B


Simple Febrile Seizure

Generalized tonic-clonic activity lasting less than 15 minutes in a child 6 months to 5 years of age


Complex Febrile Seizure

Lasts longer than 15 minutes, occurs in a child outside of this age range, are focal, or that recur within a 24-hour period.



Diagnostics / Workup

Gather thorough history and perform thorough physical exam
Most cases will not require labs, imaging or EEG
If e/o meningitis, perform LP
AAP suggests considering LP in:

Children 6-12 months who are not immunized for H flu type B or strep pneumo
Children who had been on antibiotics


For complex seizures, clinician may have a lower threshold for obtaining labs

Hyponatremia is more common in this group than in the general population.
LPs are more commonly done by providers, but these are low yield with one study showing bacterial meningitis being diagnos...