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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Several risk factors have been identified that increase your child's likelihood of experiencing a febrile seizure. These include:

  • Young age. Young age is the strongest risk factor, and most febrile seizures are seen in children who are between 6 months and 5 years of age. It's unusual for children under 6 months old to have a febrile seizure, and it's rare for these seizures to occur after 3 years of age. About 1 in 25 children experience a febrile seizure.
  • Family history. Some children inherit a family's tendency to have seizures with a fever. Additionally, researchers have linked several genes to a susceptibility to febrile seizures.
Complications Causes
References
  1. Febrile seizures fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/febrile_seizures/detail_febrile_seizures.htm. Accessed Nov. 14, 2011.
  2. What do I do if my child has a febrile seizure? American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_FebrileSeizures.htm. Accessed Nov. 14, 2011.
  3. American Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical practice guideline — Febrile seizures: Guideline for the neurodiagnostic evaluation of the child with a simple febrile seizure. Pediatrics. 2011;127:389.
  4. Febrile seizures. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/neurologic_disorders_in_children/febrile_seizures.html. Accessed Nov. 14, 2011.
  5. Bernard TJ, et al. Neurologic & muscular disorders. In: Hay WW, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics. 20th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6585048. Accessed Nov. 13, 2011.
  6. Cendes F, et al. Vaccinations and febrile seizures. Epilepsia. 2011;52(suppl):23.
  7. Sullivan JE, et al. Fever and antipyretic use in children. Pediatrics. 2011;127:580.
  8. Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 10, 2011.
  9. Nickels KC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 21, 2011.
DS00346 Jan. 24, 2012

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