Febrile seizure

Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Treatments and drugs

By Mayo Clinic staff

It's not necessary to lower your child's fever to stop a febrile seizure. So don't try to give your child fever medications during a seizure. For the same reason, don't place your child in a cooling tub of water. It's much more practical, more comfortable — and safer — for your child to remain lying on the carpet or a bed.

Most febrile seizures stop on their own within a couple of minutes. If your child has a febrile seizure that lasts more than five minutes — or if your child has repeated seizures — call for emergency medical attention.

More serious episodes
In rare cases, the seizure may continue until your child arrives at the emergency room. If this happens, a doctor may order medication that's administered either through your child's rectum or intravenously to stop the seizure.

If the seizure is prolonged or accompanied by a serious infection or if the source of the infection can't be determined, your doctor may want your child to stay in the hospital for further observation. But a hospital stay isn't routinely necessary for simple febrile seizures.

DS00346

Jan. 4, 2008

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger