Patient's question:
At night, there was an episode of afebrile convulsion. The symptoms were the same as the previous two times. When checked at the hospital, both the brain CT and EEG were normal, and there was no calcium deficiency. The doctor is now treating it as epilepsy and has prescribed Keppra. Is my daughter suffering from epilepsy?Doctor's answer:
When a child has a fever, sometimes they may experience convulsions. In this case, parents should not mistakenly think it's because the child is cold. So, what should be done if a child has convulsions while having a fever?Press the Renzhong point (in the center of the philtrum, slightly above the center) with the thumb of the convulsing child. This may temporarily stop the convulsions, but it should be combined with physical cooling to prevent further convulsions.
Stay calm and minimize stimulation to the child. Avoid loud noises or excessive fussing. Let the child lie flat with their head tilted to one side. Loosen their collar to keep the airway clear and prevent saliva or vomit from flowing back into the trachea, which could cause suffocation or aspiration pneumonia.
Apply a cold towel to the head or place an ice pack on it. When the child is conscious, a lukewarm bath (water temperature between 30-40°C) or alcohol rub can also be used for physical cooling to lower the body temperature and prevent convulsions.