febrile convulsion

an epileptic-type seizure associated with a fever. Such seizures affect up to 4% of children, usually aged between six months and six years, and generally last less than 10 minutes. Seizures do not lead to mental retardation or cerebral palsy, although the risk of developing epilepsy is around 2%, especially when other risk factors, such as family history, are present. Seizures may be recurrent, but the risk of this can be minimized by attempts to reduce the fever. The underlying infection is usually viral, but more serious conditions, such as meningitis, should be excluded.