risk of developing epilepsy after febrile seizure (febrile convulsion)
Last reviewed 01/2018
risk of developing epilepsy after febrile seizureMajority of children with febrile seizures do not develop epilepsy.
- in an epidemiological study of 687 children who experienced an initial febrile seizure (simple and complex)
- the risk of developing unprovoked seizure was increased fivefold when compared with children with no febrile seizures.
- in children with simple febrile seizures the risk of developing epilepsy was 2.4% while in children with febrile seizures with a single complex feature the risk was 6-8% and those with two or three complex features, the risk was 17-22 % and 49%, respectively (1)
Several risk factors for future epilepsy after a febrile seizure have been described.
- family history of epilepsy
- complex febrile seizures
- neurodevelopmental impairment e.g - cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus
- short duration of fever (<1 hour) before the seizure (1,2)
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