What causes convulsions in children?

In life, many children will have symptoms of convulsions, but parents need to pay special attention to pediatric convulsions. Many diseases in life can cause convulsions, common ones include high fever, epilepsy, tetanus, etc. The following is a detailed introduction.

1. High fever

Febrile convulsions account for the highest proportion. High fever is the most common cause of convulsions in children, no doubt about it.

The pathological process of febrile convulsions is as follows: because the brain nerves of infants and young children are prone to uncontrolled "discharge", they are far less stable than the brain nerves of adults. The rapid rise in body temperature causes abnormal discharge of brain cells, resulting in sudden unconsciousness, stiff and twitching limbs, foaming at the mouth, drooping eyeballs, blue lips, etc.

Febrile convulsions often occur within 24 hours of fever. Most of them are systemic convulsions with a short duration, usually around 15 minutes. Febrile convulsions are common in children aged six months to five years old. In Taiwan, the incidence rate among children under six years old is 3-4%. About 20-40% of children with febrile convulsions have a family history of febrile convulsions.

Children with febrile convulsions usually have good energy after a short sleep after the convulsion, unlike those with meningitis, encephalitis or other problems who suffer from continuous drowsiness.

2. Epilepsy

Epilepsy usually presents as recurring seizures with brief disturbances in consciousness and sensation. It is mainly caused by the incomplete development of the child's nervous system, which leads to excessive abnormal discharges of the cerebral cortex due to stimulation.

When a child has a convulsion due to epilepsy, most of the children will become unconscious, with their eyes closed or half-open, their eyeballs rolled up, their teeth clenched, the corners of their mouth twitching, their head tilted back, their limbs flexing and extending repeatedly, their lips becoming cyanotic, and their bodies becoming rigid, which may last from a dozen seconds to several minutes.

Epilepsy is a disease that runs in families. There are various causes of epilepsy in children and the clinical manifestations vary. First of all, we must find out the cause and determine the diagnosis. By choosing appropriate treatment and taking medication on time and in the prescribed dosage according to the doctor's instructions, the condition of most children can be controlled or cured.

Causes of convulsions in children

3. Tetanus

The cause of tetanus is a specific infection following trauma. Neonatal tetanus is often caused by inadequate disinfection of the umbilical cord.

The typical symptoms of tetanus are paroxysmal severe spasms based on tonic muscle contraction (muscle rigidity and stiffness). Usually the first muscle group affected is the chewing muscles, followed by the facial expression muscles, neck, back, abdomen, limb muscles, and finally the diaphragm.

The above-mentioned attacks can be triggered by slight stimulation, such as light, sound, touch, drinking water, etc.