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Uh oh…

What is the most likely cause of the seizure? What else may have caused it?
0.1
Scarlett? Scarlett?! Her legs have started shaking. Oh god she’s fitting! I knew this would happen! Do something - quickly!
77
Okay let’s get her onto the floor then. Oh god, do something! Do something! Help her, please help her! You got it? Yeah let me just go underneath. 1, 2, 3… Onto the floor What are you doing? What are you actually doing to help her? Okay, mum don’t worry, we are just going to set some things up to try and help her a bit. She is just having a seizure that’s related to the temperature okay? Her temperature is quite high I told you that would happen… Yep, that’s fine and we can deal with it. Alright? Just don’t panic. We’re just gonna pop some oxygen on her okay? We should probably look at getting some access in and pr diazepam.
108.6
Okay let’s get this set up, and then I can try and get a line in for you. Thank you
116
Can you just note the time as well? Yeah absolutely just get this set up.
127
Can you give her anything to stop her fitting? Yeah we’re gonna do that alright? So what we need to do is put this plastic tube into a vein in one of her arms okay? Okay so it looks like she is having a seizure, probably down to the high fever she’s got. Okay, but she’s gonna be absolutely fine.
144
What’s happening? It looks like she’s stopped fitting now okay? Don’t worry, these things are very common in children, because of the temperature which was quite high. It’s called a febrile convulsion. So what we need to think about now is get going to hospital and determining the cause of this fever there. So what are you gonna do for her? We’re just gonna keep some oxygen on her face, we’ve got some drugs in case she starts fitting again, so that we can deal with it very, very easily alright? Okay. And then we are going to make sure she gets to hospital safely, so we’re gonna think about leaving. She gonna be alright? Yeah she will be absolutely fine.
  • What is the most likely cause of the seizure?
  • What else may have caused it?
  • Febrile convulsions are common but terrifying; parents often report that they think their child is going to die. What things are important to tell them in order to reassure them?

If any of you have personal experience of a child having a febrile convulsion it would be good for you to share this with the group.

Discuss below with other learners.

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Emergency and Urgent Care for Children: a Survival Guide

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