Febrile convulsions
These are symptoms of seizure activity appearing once the high fever occurs (most often over 39 degrees of Celsius). They are typically observed in children (aged 6 months to 5 years) and they are a consequence of immaturity of the brain, which initiates convulsions as a reaction to the high body temperature. Simple febrile seizures manifest as a sudden stiffening of the whole body which is followed by jerking movements spreading all over the body with loss of consciousness and lack of the response to any triggers which can be accompanied by deviation of the eye bulbs, incontinence of the urine, tightness of mouth and labored respiration until it stops completely. They occur only ones in the course of the disease and are characterized by a familiar background. They are not a dangerous sign and they do not indicate any brain disorder. Complex febrile seizures are described as the convulsions which involve only one side of the body or only one limb and last longer then simple seizures (longer than 15 minutes). They can appear more than once in course of the disease. Once they subside the preserved pathologic changes in the record of electrical activity of the brain may be observed. Complex febrile seizures are combined with greater risk of epilepsy in the later age.
