ABSTRACT
Case Presentation .....................................................................................................87 Differential Diagnosis ..............................................................................................87 Diagnostic Approach ...............................................................................................88 Treatment Strategy ...................................................................................................88 Long-Term Outcome ................................................................................................ 89 Neurobiology/Pathophysiology of Disease ..............................................................90 Clinical Pearls ..........................................................................................................90 Suggested Reading ................................................................................................... 91
A febrile seizure (FS) is usually dened as a seizure related to fever (often dened as a temperature >38.4°C) in a child between 1 to 6 months and up to 5 years of age, and in the absence of an intracranial infection. There is some variation in the literature with regard to the minimum and maximum ages, degree of temperature elevation, and requirement for neurological normalcy. A complex febrile seizure (CFS) is distinguished from a simple FS (SFS) by a seizure duration of greater than 10-15 minutes, symptoms or signs of focality, and two or more events within 24 hours. Febrile status epilepticus may be seen in about 5% of patients with febrile seizures.
