Febrile Seizures

Our twins are #7 and #8. We have been around the block with kids and with colds and fevers and such. NEVER have one of our kids had a seizure due to a fever. As of today both our twins have been in the ER for a fever that caused a seizure. Does anyone know if twins are more prone to this, or had experience with this? Both kids are VERY healthy. In fact, no runny nose etc. just a fever that spiked very fast causing seizures. I hear this is very common, but after 6 other kids we were scared to death when it first happened to our son on Thanksgiving Day. I was still upset but much more calm this morning when it happened to our daughter. Thanks for any input you may have.

 

I don't have any advice for you, but I just wanted to say that I have never heard of a child having a seizure. But since about October, I have heard of 9 children (including yours) that spiked a fever and then had a seizure... all under the age of 3. Kind of a strange coincidence. I can't imagine how scary that was. Hope your daughter (and son) are feeling better!

 

My DD has febrile seizures when her temp goes up. Her twin never has, though the doc told us to be vigilant with her. Big hugs... I know how scary they can be!

 

None of my kids has had them. But I had one on my Mom's very first Mother's Day. And I've heard about it my whole life. I was about 9 months old.

 

Ian had one at about 18 months...its the sudden spike in temp that causes the seizure, not the temp itself...for example...I came home from work around 11:30 pm and checked on him - he was cool and sleeping peacefully. At around 12:30 I was laying in bed and listening to the baby monitor and it sounded like the blinds were rattling in his bedroom - windows not open (it was October or November IIRC) so when we ran in it was his crib shaking...I took his temp and it was 103...by the time EMS got there (we called EMS because his lips were also blue and he was having trouble breathing) his temp was 105.3...

they are scary but do not cause permanent damage and don't require "seizure meds"...

Abby never had one...

 

My kids have never had them, but I had several when I was a kid (toddler age). I have heard my mom talk about how scary it was, but I don't have any lasting effects from them. My poor mom still panics when I (or my kids) have a high temp. As far as I know, it's not a twin thing, just some kids have them.

My mom said the doctor explained it to her as a sort of "safety valve" for the body when the temp gets too high too fast - something about it protects the internal organs. Not sure if that is still the understanding with our more modern medicine or not, though, since that was about 30 years ago.

 

Hope your kids got beter now. My kids have not had it. But I know how scary it is. When their temp is kver 104 and lasts for more than 5 mins, i would just call doc or take them in emergency right away. Just to be safe.

This flu season is very very bad. Many kids got sick, long lasting high fever. Many of my kids friends got sick. I took my kids out of school for a month or two.

Hugs! And good luck!

 

Being a twin doesn't necessarily make it more common. Certain viruses (roseola for one) can make it more common but anything that makes the temp rise fast can do it. The height of the temp isn't as important as how fast it rises. Neither of my three have had one but both my husband and I did when we were babies.

 

My DS1 has had two of them, DS2 has not had any issues (they are 29months). They are very scary (the last one happened while I was driving), but I find peace in knowing they are only due to the fast increase in their temp.