Tag Archives: febrile convulsions

August 2018 uploaded

August brings more returning travellers, this time with dengue fever.  Also adolescent sleep problems, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), an update on rhinitis and the neurological effects of rotavirus.  Do leave comments below.

June 2018 PDF published

June 2018 features include the rotavirus immunisation, febrile myoclonus, investigating normochromic anaemia, complications of sinusitis and the first in our adolescence series.  Please do leave comments below:

Happy New Year 2018! January newsletter uploaded.

Raised intracranial pressure this month, nappy rash, complex febrile seizures, tingling side effects of recreational nitrous oxide use and Vitamin D – again….

Please do leave comments below.

 

November/December 2013

Seasonal treats this month in the form of bronchiolitis treatments and the use of antipyretics in febrile convulsions.  Perennial subjects include obesity, BCG lymphadenitis and a concise reminder of the management of UTI in children.

January 2012 PDF ready

Do you know your valgus from your varus?  Or your myclonic epilepsy from your sleep myoclonus?  A link this month to new asthma patient information leaflets and some reminders of NICE’s “Do not do recommendations” in feverish children.  Also the BSACI egg allergy guideline.  Do leave comments on any of these topics below.

Antipyretics – single or dual therapy?

Managing Fever in Children with thanks to Dr Ranjev Kainth

Fever, both in primary and secondary care is a frequent presentation. Often, it is a sign of an illness and in the first instance, it is important to establish the most likely underlying causative factor. Once this has been determined, focus often turns to the management of the fever.  Two recent articles in Archives highlight the varying practice amongst clinicians both in primary and secondary care.

In accordance with NICE guidelines1, the authors2-3 suggest anti-pyretics should not be used for the sole purpose of controlling fever.  Agents such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are often administered to promote comfort in the child when there is  fever.  In such situations, children may be prescribed single or dual therapy.

In a systematic review, E.Purssell3 examines the evidence for combined anti-pyretic therapy with either paracetamol or ibuprofen alone. He concluded that ‘only marginal benefit was shown for the combined treatment compared with each drug individually which, taken alongside the risk of overdose and further increasing the fear of fever, suggests there is little to recommend this practice’.

With the real risk of parents being unable to accurately measure medication4, it is important clear guidance is given on when and what type of drug therapy is appropriate in clinical situations.

References:

  1. NICE Guideline: Feverish Illness in Children:  Quick reference guideline http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG47/QuickRefGuide/pdf/English
  2. McLyntyre, J. Management of fever in Children. Arch Dis Child Dec 2011 V 96;12 P.1173
  3. Purssell, E. Systematic review of studies comparing combined treatment with paracetamol and ibuprofen, with either drug alone. Arch Dis Child Dec 2011 V 96;12 P.1175
  4. Beckett, V.L. et al. Accurately administering oral medication to children isn’t child’s play. Arch Dis Child 2011;96:A7 doi:10.1136/adc.2011.212563.14  

December PDF for the ED

This month’s emergency department version of Paediatric Pearls has information on dehydration from the NICE guideline on gastroenteritis in the under 5s, a bit on seizures and the evidence behind our reluctance to let you request chest x-rays for children.  I’ve featured the NICE guideline on antibiotics for respiratory illness in primary care too as they are also relevant for the children we see in EUCC and the Emergency Department.  I hope you find it helpful; I think the average length of time for each infection is useful information to be able to hand on to parents.  Download December’s Paediatric Pearls here.

July PDF digest for General Practitioners

This month’s Paediatric Pearls digest PDF for General Practitioners is available here.  Topics include: febrile convulsions, neonatal jaundice and enuresis

Please use the suggestions page to give us ideas for new Pearls that might be of use to you.

Should I be worried about a child with a febrile convulsion?

(Taken from the July Emergency Department edition of Paediatric Pearls)

‘A febrile seizure usually occurs between 3 months and 5 years of age, associated with fever but without evidence of intracranial infection or defined cause for the seizure’. NIH, USA
Most febrile seizures are generalised tonic clonic (GTCS), but fever can provoke other types of fits. Continue reading Should I be worried about a child with a febrile convulsion?