Symptoms of Febrile convulsions

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Febrile convulsions usually last less than a minute, but they can continue for up to 5 minutes. They usually happen on the first day of an illness and do not always happen when the childâ€™s temperature is hottest. In fact, a febrile convulsion is sometimes the first sign that the child is ill.

At first the child looks hot and flushed, because of their temperature.
They become dazed or confused and black out (lose consciousness). At this point they may fall down if they have been sitting or standing.
The childâ€™s muscles tighten and this may cause them to moan or cry out.
They may stop breathing (usually for around 30 seconds) and their skin may turn a little blue.
Muscles in the arms, legs and face, and other parts of the body, twitch and shake.
The childâ€™s eyes may roll backwards.
Many children also lose control of their bladder or bowel.
They often fall into a deep sleep afterwards.

If the fit goes on for more than 5 minutes, it is important to get medical help by calling 999 for an ambulance. However, they are usually fairly short, and the child makes a full recovery. Febrile convulsions can be worrying for parents because they look similar to an epileptic fit.

Most children only ever have one febrile convulsion, but around 3 in 10 have a second convulsion in a later, separate, illness. Children are more likely to have further fits if the first was when they were very young, or if the child has a close relative (such as a parent or sibling) who had febrile convulsions.