After our night of terror with Esther

And a scary next 24 hours

I hope that today her febrile episode will be over

Febrile means fever

A febrile convulsion is a seizure caused by fever or by the infection that is making a child’s temperature rise

Febrile Convulsions are apparently common and usually benign

Normal and not usually dangerous

1 in 20 children will suffer from at least Febrile Convulsion

How had we never heard of them before?

I knew that babies could not regulate their body temperatures

I knew that smaller toddlers were not as able as us

I guess what I was not aware of was how bad someone the age and size of Esther and William would be

Children’s bodies are not very good at regulating their temperature

Put a poorly child together with a hot humid day and a predisposition to seizures

And there is a chance they could have a Febrile Convulsion

Febrile Convulsions are hereditary

They run in families

It is likely that someone in one of our families has had this type of episode before

As far as we know David and I did not have them as children

I remember feeling faint a lot as a child and young adult

I also have very low blood pressure

I wonder if there could be a connection there?

More worryingly now

Now that we know Esther can have these convulsions

It is more likely that William may have one

And Rainbow Baby

Perhaps Tilda did?

It is also more likely that Esther’s own children may have them too

I will do everything I can to make sure that she is prepared

Though Febrile Convulsions are both common and benign

Oh my goodness, they are terrifying!

Without adding Matilda Mae’s sudden infant death to the mix

Seeing Esther collapse in her Daddy’s arms

Struggling to bring her round

And having no idea what on earth was happening to our daughter

Was one of the most horrific experiences of my life

I know that David would say the same

I saw it in his face as he held her

As we waited for the ambulance to arrive

Today Esther has woken singing for the first time in a few days

Old Macdonald had a farm

I cannot tell you how much her untuneful singing is music to my ears

I cannot begin to explain to you how much I love my children

All of them

But I can now the fear has begun to subside

Tell you some facts about Febrile Convulsions

I would be grateful if you would make sure

That everyone with small children knows about them

We can all be better prepared

Febrile Convulsions

A febrile convulsion is a fit that occurs when a child has a fever

Febrile convulsions are also sometimes called febrile seizures

Febrile convulsions often occur during the first day of a fever, which is defined as a high temperature of 38ºC or above. They can be the first sign you have that your child is poorly with an infection or virus

Febrile convulsions are most common in children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. Children who have febrile convulsions will grow out of them by the time they are 6 years old.

The exact cause of the convulsions is unknown.

Most children only ever have one febrile convulsion. About 3 in 10 children will have another convulsion during a separate febrile episode or illness.

During simple febrile convulsions, your child’s body will become stiff and their arms and legs will begin to twitch. They will lose consciousness and they may wet or soil themselves. Your child may also vomit and foam at the mouth and their eyes may roll back. The seizure usually lasts for less than five minutes. This is where Esther was different from most convulsions as she did not go stiff or twtich. Instead she went floppy and pale and blue. The hospital confirmed that this was still a Febrile Convulsion triggered by her temperature

You should take your child to the nearest hospital as soon as possible if they have no previous history of seizures and you think they have had one. Although very rare, a seizure can sometimes be a sign of a more serious illness, such as meningitis, which requires emergency medical treatment. When we were in the children’s ward I immediately realised that the tests they were carrying out on Esther were looking for signs of Meningitis

If your child is having a febrile seizure, place them in the recovery position. Lay them on their side, on a soft surface, with their face turned to one side. This will stop them swallowing any vomit. It will keep their airway open and help to prevent injury.
Stay with your child and try to make a note of how long it lasts.
If it is your child’s first seizure, or it lasts longer than five minutes, take them to the nearest hospital as soon as possible or call 999 for an ambulance. While it is unlikely that there is anything seriously wrong, it is best to be sure.

For more information please read here