Patient's question:
At half a year old, fever of 39-40 degrees with convulsions, unable to speak, limbs unable to extend, difficulty breathing, pale face, and vacant stare.Duration of this episode and its persistence: October 20, 2005.
Current general condition: Good.
Medical history: Similar symptoms occurred in June 2005.
Previous diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes: Hospitalized and recovered.
Auxiliary examinations: Normal CT, abnormal EEG.
Doctor's answer:
Hello: Characteristics of high fever convulsions:1. Convulsions occur in children without central nervous system infection when the temperature rises above 38.5°C, especially above 39°C. The convulsions are generalized, oftensudden onset, loss of consciousness, fixed or upwardly rolling eyes, head extension, limb twitching or rigidity, and twitching of the corners of the mouth or facial muscles. There may be apnea, cyanosis or pallor. The duration is short, generally less than 10 minutes.
2. Convulsions typically occur within 24 hours of the onset of high fever, especially within 12 hours, during a rapid rise in temperature.
3. Consciousness recovers quickly after convulsions, with no abnormal neurological signs.
4. If there is a history of high fever convulsions in the past or in the family, convulsions usually occur only once and do not recur after the fever subsides.
5. The age range is between 6 months and 5 years.
6. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is normal during the interictal period.
The diagnosis of epilepsy is very complex and primarily relies on historical data: convulsions are often accompanied by loss of consciousness. Second, an EEG examination: the interictal EEG can achieve a positive rate of over 50%. If repeated examinations are conducted, with appropriate use of provocation tests such as hyperventilation, photic stimulation, sleep, and medication, the abnormal rate can increase to 90%. Recently developed long-term EEG monitoring and video recording can further improve the positive rate. The main epileptic waves include spikes, sharp waves, spike-slow waves, high-amplitude dysrhythmia, and other paroxysmal rhythmic waves. Finally, differential diagnosis and etiological analysis must also be performed.