Febrile Seizures in Babies and Toddlers: What to Do and When It’s an Emergency
A fever-related seizure is one of the most frightening things a parent can witness — but most are harmless. Here is exactly what to do, what never to do, and when to call 911.
Your toddler is warm and fussy with a fever. Suddenly their eyes roll back, their body goes stiff, and their arms and legs begin to jerk. For most parents, those few seconds feel like the worst moment of their lives. It is impossible to watch your child seize and not believe something catastrophic is happening.
Here is the reassurance you need first: most febrile seizures are harmless. They are common, they almost always stop on their own, and the vast majority of children who have one go on to be completely healthy. A simple febrile seizure does not cause brain damage and does not mean your child has epilepsy. Knowing this in advance — and knowing what to do — turns a terrifying event into something you can handle calmly.
What Is a Febrile Seizure?
A febrile seizure is a convulsion triggered by a fever, usually in children between 6 months and 5 years old. They affect roughly 1 in 20 to 1 in 25 children, making them one of the most common childhood neurological events. The seizure happens because a young, developing brain is more sensitive to changes in body temperature — often the rapid rise in temperature rather than how high the fever climbs.
Because the trigger is a fast-rising fever, a seizure can sometimes be the very first sign that your child is sick — before you even knew they had an infection. Common culprits include ear infections, colds, the flu, roseola, and other ordinary childhood illnesses.
Simple vs. complex febrile seizures
Doctors divide febrile seizures into two types:
- Simple febrile seizures — the most common type. They last less than 15 minutes (usually under 2), involve the whole body, and do not recur within 24 hours. These are the reassuring kind.
- Complex febrile seizures — last longer than 15 minutes, affect only one part or side of the body, or happen more than once in 24 hours. These warrant closer medical evaluation.
You do not need to diagnose the type in the moment. Your job is simply to keep your child safe, time the seizure, and know when to call for help.
What a Febrile Seizure Looks Like
Knowing what to expect helps you stay calm. During a typical febrile seizure your child may:
- Lose consciousness or become unaware of their surroundings
- Go stiff, then have rhythmic jerking or twitching of the arms and legs
- Roll their eyes back
- Clench their jaw or drool
- Briefly stop breathing normally or breathe noisily, and their lips may look slightly dusky
- Lose bladder or bowel control
Afterward, children are often very sleepy, groggy, confused, or irritable for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. This recovery period — sometimes called the “postictal” phase — is completely normal.
Step-by-Step: What to Do During a Febrile Seizure
If your child is having a seizure, follow these steps. The goal is to protect them from injury and let the seizure run its course — you cannot stop a seizure, and you should not try to.
1Note the time
Look at a clock or start a timer the moment the seizure begins. This matters enormously: most seizures feel far longer than they are, and the 5-minute mark is the key decision point for calling 911. Knowing the actual duration gives you and any medical team critical information.
2Gently place your child on the floor or a safe surface
Lay them down somewhere they cannot fall or hurt themselves. Clear away any hard, sharp, or hot objects nearby. Do not try to hold or restrain them — restraining a seizing child can cause injury and does nothing to help.
3Turn them onto their side (the recovery position)
Roll your child gently onto their side. This lets saliva or vomit drain from the mouth instead of pooling in the airway, reducing the risk of choking. Keep their face pointing slightly downward.
4Do not put anything in their mouth
Never place your fingers, a spoon, medicine, food, or water into your child’s mouth. It is physically impossible to swallow the tongue, and forcing anything in can break teeth, block the airway, or get you bitten. Loosen tight clothing around the neck instead.
5Stay with them and watch closely
Keep talking calmly, even though they cannot respond. Watch their breathing and skin colour. If you can, have someone film the seizure on a phone — it sounds strange, but a short video is genuinely useful for the doctor in figuring out what happened.
6When it stops, comfort them and let them rest
Once the jerking ends, keep your child on their side. They will likely be drowsy and disoriented — this is normal. Stay close, speak softly, and let them recover. Do not try to give food, drink, or fever medicine until they are fully alert.
7If your child stops breathing and is unresponsive — begin CPR
It is rare, but if after the seizure your child is not breathing and does not respond, have someone call 911 and begin CPR immediately. For the full technique, see our Baby CPR guide. This is exactly the kind of split-second response a hands-on first aid course prepares you for.
What NOT to Do
Several common instincts during a seizure are actually harmful. Avoid these:
- Do not restrain your child or try to stop the movements. You can cause sprains or fractures, and it will not shorten the seizure.
- Do not put anything in their mouth — not your fingers, not a spoon, not medicine.
- Do not put your child in a bath or try to cool them rapidly with cold water during the seizure.
- Do not try to give fever medicine by mouth while they are seizing or not fully conscious — it is a choking risk.
- Do not panic and skip timing it. The duration is the single most important piece of information.
When a Febrile Seizure Is a Real Emergency
Most febrile seizures do not require an ambulance, but some absolutely do. Call 911 right away if:
- The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes
- Your child has difficulty breathing or their lips and face turn blue and stay blue
- It is their first seizure — always get a first-time seizure checked
- They have repeated seizures without fully waking in between
- The seizure affects only one side of the body
- They are very difficult to wake or do not return to normal alertness after about an hour
- There are signs of a serious infection like meningitis: a stiff neck, severe headache, a rash that does not fade under pressure, or persistent vomiting
Caring for Your Child After the Fever Settles
Once your child has recovered and a doctor has confirmed the cause is an ordinary infection, focus on comfort:
- Treat the fever for comfort, not to prevent seizures. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen (dosed by weight, following the package or your pharmacist’s advice) can help your child feel better, but they do not reliably prevent another febrile seizure.
- Keep fluids up. Offer small, frequent sips of water, breast milk, or formula to prevent dehydration.
- Dress them lightly and keep the room comfortable — no need to bundle them up or strip them down.
- Rest and monitor. Let them sleep, and check on them regularly through the night.
Why Hands-On Training Makes the Difference
You can read this guide a dozen times, but in the moment a seizure strikes, panic takes over. The parents who stay calmest are the ones who have practised emergency responses with their hands, not just their eyes. A first aid course walks you through the recovery position, infant and child CPR, choking response, and how to assess a sick child — so that when something frightening happens, your body already knows what to do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are febrile seizures dangerous?
Most are harmless. A simple febrile seizure does not cause brain damage and does not mean your child has epilepsy. The main risk is injury from falling or hitting something, which is why your job is to keep your child safe and let the seizure run its course. Call 911 if it lasts over 5 minutes, if your child has trouble breathing, or if it is their first seizure.
How long does a febrile seizure last?
A simple febrile seizure usually lasts under 2 minutes and almost always under 5. Afterward, children are often sleepy or confused for a while, which is normal. If a seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, call 911 — a prolonged seizure needs medical treatment to stop.
Should I put something in my child’s mouth during a seizure?
No. Never put anything in the mouth — not fingers, a spoon, medicine, or water. It is impossible to swallow the tongue, and forcing objects in can break teeth or cause choking. Turn your child on their side and let the seizure pass.
Can I prevent a febrile seizure by controlling the fever?
Unfortunately no. Fever-reducing medicine does not reliably prevent febrile seizures, because they are often triggered by how quickly a fever rises rather than how high it gets. Treat fevers to keep your child comfortable, but do not blame yourself if a seizure happens anyway.
Will my child have more febrile seizures?
About one in three children who have a febrile seizure will have another with a future fever, usually within a year. The risk is higher if the first happened before 18 months or runs in the family. It does not mean your child will develop epilepsy, and most children outgrow them by age five or six.
Be Ready for the Moments That Matter Most
A seizure, a choking episode, a child who stops breathing — these are the emergencies every parent fears and few feel prepared for. Life Safe’s hands-on first aid and CPR courses give you the muscle memory and confidence to respond calmly when seconds count.
Find a class near you: Toronto • Downtown Toronto • East York • Hamilton • Welland • Guelph