Your toddler goes rigid, their eyes roll back, and their limbs start jerking. You have never been more frightened in your life. What you do in the next five minutes matters.

Febrile seizures affect roughly 1 in 30 children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. They are triggered by a rapid rise in body temperature, not necessarily a very high fever. A child can have a febrile seizure at 38.5°C. The seizure itself, while horrifying to witness, is not usually dangerous. The danger comes from panic, from moving the child incorrectly, or from missing the signs that this is something more serious.

Most febrile seizures last less than three minutes and stop on their own. Knowing what to do before one happens is the difference between controlled fear and helpless chaos.

The First 60 Seconds: Do Not Panic, Do Not Restrain

Your instinct will be to hold your child still. Do not. Restraining a child during a seizure can cause injury. The jerking movements look violent, but the muscles need to move.

Do these things immediately:

  • Lower your child gently to the floor if they are not already there.
  • Clear the area. Move furniture, toys, anything with a hard edge or corner.
  • Lay them on their side in the recovery position if possible. This keeps the airway clear.
  • Put something soft under their head. A folded jacket works.
  • Note the time. This is critical. You need to know exactly how long the seizure lasts.

Do not put anything in your child's mouth. Not your fingers, not a spoon, not a cloth. Children do not swallow their tongues during seizures. What they can do is bite down hard enough to cause injury to whatever is in their mouth, including your hand.

Minutes Two and Three: Stay With Them and Watch

Stay beside your child. Watch their breathing. Watch their colour. Watch the movement pattern.

Talk to them calmly even if they cannot respond. Your voice is grounding for you as much as for them.

Remove any clothing around the neck or chest if it is tight. Loosen a collar. Do not strip them or submerge them in cold water to bring the fever down during the seizure. That comes later.

Keep a clear mental or verbal record of what is happening. If someone else is in the house, send them to get your phone so you are ready to call 999. If you are alone, keep your phone within reach.

When to Call 999 Immediately

Call an ambulance if any of the following apply:

  • The seizure lasts longer than five minutes.
  • Your child does not regain consciousness or responsiveness after the seizure stops.
  • The seizure affects only one part of the body rather than both sides equally.
  • Your child has difficulty breathing after the seizure ends.
  • They have another seizure within 24 hours.
  • They are under 18 months old.
  • You are unsure whether this is a febrile seizure or something else.

If this is your child's first febrile seizure, call 999 regardless of duration. You do not yet know their pattern. Medical staff need to assess them.

After the Seizure Stops

Most children fall into a deep, exhausted sleep immediately after a febrile seizure. This is normal and is called the postictal phase. Let them sleep. Keep them in the recovery position. Stay with them.

Do not try to cool the fever aggressively the moment the seizure ends. Once your child is conscious and responsive, you can give them age-appropriate paracetamol or ibuprofen according to the packet instructions. Tepid water on the skin is fine. Cold baths are not.

If your child had a button battery ingestion or any other injury in the lead-up to the episode, mention it to the emergency team when they arrive. Context matters.

What Febrile Seizures Are Not

Febrile seizures are not epilepsy. Having one does not mean your child will develop epilepsy. About 30% of children who have a febrile seizure will have another one, usually with a subsequent fever. They do not cause brain damage. They do not mean your child is critically ill.

That said, every febrile seizure deserves medical review. A doctor needs to identify the underlying cause of the fever, rule out meningitis, and advise you on your child's individual risk profile.

What to Tell the Doctor Afterwards

Write down or remember the following before the appointment:

  • What time the seizure started and how long it lasted.
  • What the movements looked like and which parts of the body were involved.
  • Whether your child lost consciousness and how quickly they recovered.
  • Any illness symptoms in the days before, including ear infections, coughs, or rashes.
  • Whether there is a family history of febrile seizures.

This information shapes the clinical picture significantly.

Preparing for the Possibility of a Recurrence

Ask your GP to walk you through the seizure management steps at your next visit. Some families with children who have had multiple febrile seizures are prescribed emergency medication, such as diazepam rectal solution or buccal midazolam, to use if a seizure exceeds five minutes. This is not routine for a first seizure but is worth discussing if your child is higher risk.

Keep a digital note on your phone with your child's date of birth, weight, any allergies, and their seizure history. Paramedics can use this immediately.

The first febrile seizure is almost always the most frightening thing a parent will experience. The second is still frightening, but you know what to do. The goal now is to get to that second scenario with knowledge rather than panic.

Your child is almost certainly going to be fine. Your job is to keep them safe until the seizure passes and get them seen by a doctor. That is it.